Obsession
by Edenian-Princess
Summary: She had loved Mortal Kombat. She just didn't think she'd end up in the game itself. Ama Haruki, an outcast in her small Japanese town, enters the Mortal Kombat universe after a child like wish. She not only has to keep herself alive, but she must also protect the characters she obsesses over from Shao Kahn's tyrannical rule. Piece of cake...right? *Mortal Kombat crack-fiction*
1. Obsession Prologue

She had loved Mortal Kombat. She just didn't think she'd end up in the game itself.

Ama Haruki, an outcast in her little Japanese town who is used to all things normal like going to school, being bullied constantly, and getting laughed at everyday, gets a wild smack in the face when she comes face to face with death constantly because of a simple mistake.

_*Mortal Kombat fan-fiction*_


	2. A Regular Day In My Shoes

_*This is a Mortal Kombat fan-fiction. One character (Ama Haruki...as well as Mr. Akita, but he's only there for this first part) belongs to me while the other characters belong to Mortal Kombat and Ed Boon and others who were involved with the Mortal Kombat franchise.*_

_**I was running for my life. **__Banana leaves and a numerous amounts of insects smacked me on my face as I ran, roots from trees seemed to lift themselves so that I would trip and my pursuer would catch on to me. I huffed and puffed by the rapid movement of my legs, and I screamed at myself, 'Don't look back, whatever you do, don't look back!'_

_I really hated running; it was my least favorite thing in gym class. I could never keep up with everybody else, and would eventually be scolded constantly because of it. But now, I was running for my life and I couldn't stop. My own speed surprised me as I leaped over tree stumps and shallow streams, running like I had actually been doing it for a majority of my life and enjoyed it._

_The feeling of adrenaline pumped through my veins, but ceased once I felt my body collide against the rough terrain because of a casual vine. I grunted in pain and rolled over to examine the wound, deep and bloody. I screamed in agony when I realized that the pain was so intense that I couldn't move, and I remained defenseless to the sturdy figure towering over me..._

"Ama, **get up!** School starts in ten minutes!"

I groaned and threw my hand over my alarm clock. My eyes squinted as the sun unmercifully hit my window with full force and I pressed the small light to check the time.

"Urrggg...it's only seven fifty..."

It took me two seconds to finally figure out that yes, it was seven fifty...school started at eight o'clock.

"Crap..." I cussed as I rolled myself out of bed.

I jumped up, brushed certain strands of my hair, and threw on my uniform.

"Crap, crap, crap..." I murmered as a certain strand of my hair wouldn't glide through the brush.

"Ama! What are you doing?!"

"I'm coming, Ma!" I shouted while still struggling against the stubborn clump of hair attached to my scalp.

"Why can't you wake up early, you told me that you were going to bed at nine!"

"Ma, you know that I find it hard to fall asleep!" I shouted louder than anticipated, the clump still obviously present.

"Well, we should do something to fix that then, shouldn't we?!" she shouted with equal force. I winced from the very sound of her voice and decided to throw a pin onto the stubborn clump called my hair. I ran in to the bathroom just to check myself over, and suddenly realized that my teeth hadn't been brushed.

"Dammit, toothbrush...toothbrush...where the hell did I leave the toothbrush..."

I threw towels, dirty clothes, and vanity products around the tiny bathroom, searching for the toothbrush that I knew I shouldn't have thrown just anywhere.

"AMA!" my mother shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Screw it..." I whispered as I threw my jacket and backpack over myself.

"Ama, get down here!"

"Mamma, hold on!"

I raced down our spiral staircase, grabbed a bagel, and chomped on it as quickly as I possibly could. My mother glared harshly at me as she finished cooking eggs for my younger brother.

"You're late again."

"I know that!" I muffled, finding it difficult to swallow the damn bagel.

"Ugh, why can't you wake up early, Ama? Your friends wake up early!"

"I don't have any friends..." I mumbled.

She sighed and slid a glass of orange juice towards me. I grabbed it and gulped it down in a matter of seconds.

"That's because you aren't social. You keep playing that video game, which I strictly forbade you from playing!"

"Ma, one does not simply quit playing Mortal Kombat." I glared. "Besides, it keeps the stress down."

"Stress from what? You don't do anything around here!"

My temples began to pound dramatically. Great, another migrane.

"I really don't need this right now, Ma." I groaned as I jumped out of my seat.

"Take responsibility every now and then and maybe you won't hear me preaching the same things to you!"

I sighed, rolled my eyes, and darted out the door. It bugged me how my mother talked to me sometimes. She was incredibly degrading towards me...honestly, I was ready to turn eighteen just so I could move the hell out. I felt bad for my younger brother as well; he'd have to go through the same things that I was currently going through, and none of those things were necessarily good.

One, I didn't have any friends. Like, at all. None. I've been seen as the outcast the moment high school decided to pop in to my life.

Two. I was weird, awkward, and didn't do well in front of crowds. I recall a time where I fell in front of half a dozen people in school, and farted while going down. I'm now known as "Poopie Ammie" ...which is humiliating.

Three. I don't talk to anybody who doesn't have one key characteristic as I do; an undeniable lover of Mortal Kombat. I love the game; I've loved it ever since it first came out, and I wasn't ashamed to show off my Scorpion or Sub-Zero action figures at school. It's creeped out more than half of my classmates.

And well...I hated just being around people. They just weren't my cup of tea.

I began my fast-paced walk to school, pushing past civilians as often as I saw them. Once I arrived at school, I saw none of my classmates rough-housing one another, talking, giggling...dammit, I really _was_ late. I threw my backpack off of me only to feel something wet. Surely, it was sweat. Double dammit. There was no way I could cool myself off, because all of the fans were in the classrooms. Triple dammit. I wiped the building sweat from my forehead, trying to figure out what to do. I was starting to stink up the hallway, and before I knew it, my sweat started to gleam on every part of my skin that was visible. Screw Japanese weather, it was _really_ hot.

As much as I didn't want to embarrass myself further, I had to get to class. I had missed too many school days, and I couldn't afford to miss any more. I walked to the end of the hallway and clapsed the door handle tightly.

"Okay. You can do this. Sure, you smell like sweat, and that isn't pleasant. But you need to go in, and...learn crap. Okay. Here goes."

Instead of opening the door gracefully, I barged through it and fell flat on my face in the process. My classmates stared at me as well as my teacher, and a small groan escaped my throat.

"Miss Haruki. Glad you decided to show up today."

My head shot up, my cheeks began to burn from embarrassment. There stood my teacher, tall and elegant, his eyes staring unmercifully in to my soul. Snickers began to resound throughout the classroom and I slowly got on my feet.

"You're late. Again." He scolded.

"...Mr. Akita-"

"No more excuses, Miss Haruki. You will be staying after school, writing me an essay explaining why you can not arrive here on time and...in a more presentable manner."

He was looking at my gleaming arms and legs. The sweat only began to build from that moment because of my humiliation, notably around my face because of the constant blushing. My classmates burst in to cruel laughter as I bowed before my teacher.

"Yes, sir..." I sighed during the bow.

"Please take your seat."

I sulked to my seat in the back of the room. My classmates began to sniff the room, making disgusted faces in the process.

"What is that smell?!"

"It smells like armpit!"

I quickened my pace and sat down.

"Ohh, I smell it too!"

"Stinky Ammie!"

I moaned as the rest of the class felt obliged to continue taunting me with my new nickname.

"Stinky Ammie, stinky Ammie, stinky Ammie!"

"Alright, alright, that's enough," Mr. Akita chucked, raising his arms. "On with the lesson."

I watched as Mr. Akita took his position in the front of the room and began to write an elongated sentence on the board. While he was writing, I rested my head on my hand and glanced out the window. The moment I got home, I would play Mortal Kombat. Yeah. And I would play as Kitana, or maybe Jade. I loved them both; they were my favorite female characters. It was ridiculous, but I had wished that I could have been born as either one of them. I would be beautiful, flawless, and fighting for something, for somebody. I would have a title; be _somebody_. How cool it would be if Liu Kang or Smoke fell at my feet, begging me to marry them. Or in Kitana's case, the other way around. How cool it would be to train under Scorpion or Sub-Zero's guiding hand...I wonder if Scorpion would even bother to train me? Ha, probably not. It's worth a shot in my endless imagination!

"Miss Haruki!"

"Huh?!" I jerked back to reality.

More snickers erupted from all sides of the classroom and there was little old me, confused.

"Fix the sentence!" Mr. Akita bellowed in frustration.

"...Right, right..." I mumbled as I quickly made it to the front of the room.

I stared at the sentence in great wonder. I loved to daydream, but I just happened to do it at the most inconvenient times. The sentence read: **_in order to fulfill your density, you must life it._**

I grabbed the chalk and fixed _**In**_, _**destiny**_, and_** live**_. The quote made me think of myself and the situation I found myself in, wanting to be Jade or Kitana. What would I have to do to be just like them...?

"Thank you, Miss Haruki," Mr. Akita sighed, obviously bored. "You may sit."

I bowed, then made my way back to my seat. Cupping my chin to the palm of my hand, I began to think once again of Mortal Kombat. Simply wanting to be in the game was lunacy. If I were to go there as myself, I would surely be killed, without a doubt. I would rather be anybody but myself anyhow. I sighed and lay my head on my forearm. It didn't hurt to close my eyes just for a couple seconds, did it? I was _exhausted_, and now was the perfect opprotunity just to sleep.

_'No. You have to fight it off, Ama. You only have six and a half hours left...'_

...Yeah, on that note, I'll just shut my eyes for a couple of minutes. No harm done.

I woke up with the biggest headache I have ever had in my entire life. Why was I in so much pain? I rubbed my eyes and yawned, stretching my stiff muscles in the process. I looked around the classroom to find that nobody else was there, except for Mr. Akita, glaring at me from his desk.

"You have fallen asleep once again." He scolded.

My eyes widened and I looked out the window, only to find the sun set hitting the window with beautiful force. School was over, and I was still here...I mean, I had to be here, considering I still had to write an essay to Mr. Akita, and school was awfully beautifully after school because the sun hit every part of it just right...

"Miss Haruki!"

His fist slammed violently against his desk, making me jump, alarmed. My eyes were on him, full of fear and expectancy for the worst. He stood, both hands flat on his desk, his glare still visible.

"You will begin writing me that essay. You will not leave until you are finished. Am I understood?!"

I trembled and nodded. His glare began to soften, but was still present.

"I don't know what to do with you anymore, Miss Haruki. You are a bright young lady, but you have no initiative, no drive to your life. You seem to daydream while I teach, and then you sleep like a lazy cow!"

My eyes began to well up with tears and I lowered my head in shame. I was never called a name by any teachers of mine...I guess there's a first for everything...

Mr. Akita threw several sheets of paper on my desk as well as a pen.

"Begin," He sneered as he strolled back to his desk. "And don't take all night. I have a family waiting for me."

The tears were threatening to spill over, and I fought them as best I could. I took the pen in my shaking right hand and began to write. As I wrote, more tears began to well up, and before long, I couldn't see what I was writing. I hesitated, fighting every tear that begged to roll down and splatter on to the paper. I heard Mr. Akita's large and long fingers drum pitilessly on his desk and I looked up to find him staring at my direction, sensing my short hesitation. I looked back down, grasped the pen tighter, and continued.

Seven pages later, I stood shyly and walked delicately towards Mr. Akita's desk. He looked up at me, then at the pages I was holding to my chest.

"Finished?" He asked roughly.

"Yes, sir..." I replied weakly.

He snatched the pages from my hands and stood. "Finally."

I trotted to my desk, put the chair up, grabbed my bag, and opened the door, my only way out...

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked impatiently.

I glanced at him, confused. "Huh?"

"You are to clean the floors. You are the last student here, you are to clean. The custodian will not be here to clean up _all_ of your messes."

My face flushed, I set my backpack down and grabbed the broom. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was no longer in the sky, the moon and stars being it's replacement. I knew that I had to get home quickly, or else my mother would surely wring my neck. I swept the floors rapidly, put up the rest of the chairs, and picked up scattered trash throughout the classroom. Mr. Akita watched me anxiously, checking his watch and tapping his foot every now and then. Once I finished, I picked up my bag and he began to inspect the room.

"Not clean enough. But as I mentioned to you before, I have a family to get home to. You are dismissed. Arrive early tomorrow, Miss Haruki. I have more things for you to do for your debt to be repaid."

I bowed. "Good night, sir."

I raced out the door and ran home. Yes, I actually _ran_. My mother was going to kill me, it may as well be quick. The minute I reached the front door, my little brother opened it and beamed at me.

"Onee-san!"

"Shhh!" I hissed at him.

His eyes grew, tears wellling. I sighed, picked him up, and ticked him.

"How are you, little one?" I asked, tossing him in to the air.

"Onee-san!" he replied.

**"AMA!"**

...Quadruple dammit. I set my younger brother down and slowly walked to the kitchen. I found my mother washing dishes and once I walked in, she turned to face me, and her eyes seemed to turn in to little balls of fire.

"Where were you? Do you know how long I've been searching for you? I've called _everywhere_, and nobody has seen you!"

...She was worried about me? Huh, that felt like a first.

"I was at school, Ma. Mr. Akita needed for me to stay after."

Her eyes traced my body, searching for what I believed to be wounds. "Why did he need you there?!"

"...I had to write something for him..."

"Write what?!"

"...Just an essay..."

"What _kind_ of essay?!"

"Ma!"

"Just answer me!"

"I arrived late and sweaty, okay?!"

"Oooh, here we go! You're so irresponsible, young lady! I only pray that your brother doesn't turn out to be just like you!"

Great, more belittling.

"I at least hope that _essay_ knocked some sense in to you! I'm sick and tired of you always slacking off and playing that stupid video game! What does that game do for you?!"

"That _game _helps me in more ways than _you_ ever _could_!"

My younger brother began to wail and my mother pushed past me to get to him.

"You are a disgrace, Ama. You think playing video games is going to help you in the real world?! Well, I'll tell you, it isn't! Wake up and start thinking of your future!"

"Oh, I'll start thinking of my future. A future away from this crappy town, from this crappy school, from this crappy house!"

My yelling only made my younger brother wail louder. My mother's stare was so filled with hatred towards me that she cradeled my younger brother with one arm and smacked me across the face so hard that I could see stars with her other hand.

"What would your father think if he were here now?!" She screamed.

"Probably the same things you're thinking..." I whispered as I ran to my room.

I threw my backpack across the room, threw myself on to my bed, and tried once again to fight off the incoming tears. The side of my face began to swell up from my mother's unrelenting hand and I simply closed my eyes. I needed to get away from here. I was desperate and willing to do anything. I slammed my hand on my nightstand and the Mortal Kombat case fell from it. I gasped, picked it up, and stared at it.

"What I would do to get away from here..." I whispered to the dueling Scorpion and Sub-Zero.

I set the case down and picked up the Playstation three controller. I pressed the home button, automatically turning the console on. I switched my television on, turned off all of the lights, and waited for the game to load up. Tenderly, I touched the side of my face and cringed from the pain. Dammit, she smacked me hard. The game was on the loading screen, and I pressed start. I was anxious to smash buttons, to kill off characters who reminded me of the people around me, to just enter a world that was different from my own. The moment Scorpion punched Sub-Zero, I cringed even more, thinking of my mother's hand colliding with my face.

"Alright. Mortal Kombat time." I smirked as I snapped out of that state. I picked Kitana and began to kick ass. More than five fatalities were committed by her fans and my button mashing, and once I finished her ladder story, I carried on with Jade.

Before long, I began to feel very, very sleepy. It had been a long day, but I wasn't ready to quit playing. I picked Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Ermac. I wasn't ready to submit to sleep. I had to keep playing. Mileena, Sonya, Kabal. Sheeva, Stryker, Johnny Cage. Smoke, Cyrax, Sektor. I still wasn't ready to sleep. It was one o'clock, and I felt drowsy, like I had two full bottles of Nyquil. But I wasn't willing...I...I wasn't...

My head hit the headboard of my bed, the controller fell on to my lap, and the game stayed on.


	3. Smoke

**_Everything was spinning the moment my eyes shot open._** I was laying on something soft and incredibly plushy...something that wasn't my bed. Uh oh. Did I run away from home in a sleep-walking fashion? I lifted my head and saw different surroundings. A silky gray blanket was covering me, an oversized gray pillow governed my head. The walls were adorned with symbols of something that looked awfully familiar...as my eyesight adjusted, I saw the Lin Kuei symbol.

...Why was I looking at the Lin Kuei symbol? Surely this was all a dream. Yeah, that's what it was. Just a dream. I would wake up and return to my shitty life soon. I closed my eyes, lay my head back on to the pillow, and tried to drift off to sleep.

"I don't know who she is. She somehow arrived here."

My eyes shot open once again and darted towards the grand double doors.

"Well, find out once she wakes up."

...Holy goodness, who was that?

"Fine. Anything else, Sub-Zero?"

...No freaking way...

"Not at the moment, Smoke. I apprieciate you taking her in to your room though."

"Yeah, yeah."

I gasped and tightened up my muscles, making sure they couldn't sense my movements. I was laying in _Smoke's_ bed? _The_ Smoke? _Mortal Kombat_ Smoke?

"You should get her something to eat. There's no doubt she'll be hungry. Besides, we don't know where she hails from, she may not have eaten for days."

"Yes, Sub-Zero. I actually have the chefs preparing something for her now."

...Aww, Sub-Zero was concerned about my health! And Smoke had already ordered food to be prepared for me! This was the best dream **_EVER_**!

"Check on her now. She may be awake."

I shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep. The grand doors opened slowly, gentle footsteps approached me. My heart began to race, every part of my brain screamed, "Look! It's Smoke from your freaking favorite video game!"

I heard him sigh and sit where my head was at. His soft hand touched my forehead, and I _melted_. He was _touching me_. Ugh, I didn't want to wake up and face reality; I wanted to stay here, in Smoke's bed, with Smoke touching my forehead with his warm, soft, gentle yet dangerous hand.

"Mmph. She's warm." He murmered lightly, removing his hand.

No, keep your hand there, Smoke!

He got up, his footsteps traveling to the other side of the massive bed. He opened his nightstand cubby, his hands rustled around looking for something, and he gradually closed it after grabbing something from it. His footsteps traveled back to where I was, and he sat once again. His hand returned to my forehead and I tried my hardest to fight off a big fat grin. Suddenly, I felt something incredibly cold. Sub-Zero cold. And I wasn't happy about it. I shot up, gasping. Smoke watched me, his gray eyes danced over my dark brown, souless ones. I couldn't believe it...I was staring at Smoke...Mortal Kombat Smoke...

"Oh, you're awake," he chuckled, putting one of his hands behind his neck. "Sorry about that. Your body heat was warm enough to roast a chicken, I had to cool you off."

...He was_ talking_ to me. Right? I looked behind me, saw no one, then faced him. He cocked an eyebrow and turned his head to the side with slight bewilderment.

"What is it?" He asked calmly. "Are you alright?"

I kept staring in to his alluring gray eyes.

_'Say something, you fool!'_ my conscience cried out.

Instead of speaking, I nodded quickly. Smoke slowly approached me, and I backed away from him. He was very sexy, but I've played as him before. His fatalities are brutal.

"You don't have to be afraid. I won't hurt you." He promised, his hand extended towards me.

I stared at it, then back at him. He was sincere. Every part of him showed me that he meant what he said. Especially his eyes. I hesitated slightly.

_'He's offering you his hand. Take it. Take it!'_

I closed my eyes and placed my hand in his. His warm, long fingers curled around my small, pudgy hand and as I opened my eyes, he smiled. Oh. Oh my gosh, he smiled.

"There. See? Not a scratch on you." He encouraged, pulling me towards him.

He was a charming son of a bitch. In the game, he's ruthless, killing when necessary or unnecessary. But here, he was smiling, chuckling, _holding my hand_.

"This is the best dream ever..." I whispered, my eyes plastered on his hand.

"Dream?" He asked, leaning his head closer to me just so he could hear me clearly. "What dream?"

Wait. This wasn't a dream?

"...Yeah...I should be awake shortly. I-I fell asleep p-p-p-playing this video game c-c-called M-M-Mortal K-Kombat and apparently, h-here I am!" I stuttered.

His gentle gaze turned in to one of abashment. "Video game?"

"Y-Yeah...see, you're a c-c-character and...oh jeez."

My eyesight began to turn fuzzy and I collapsed lightly.

"Whoa," Smoke said in a worried tone of voice, catching me swiftly and holding me in his arms. "Take it easy."

I blushed and bit my lower lip. "Sorry...I just...I don't know where I am and-"

"You were locking your knees," He added with a casual smirk. "Relax. You are at the Lin Kuei Palace."

I loved his arms wrapped around me. It felt nice, comforting, warm. For the first time, I felt protected.

"Are you alright to stand on your own?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah..." I sighed, disappointed.

He stood and I stood alongside him. He released me and I took a couple steps away from him.

"Did this...video game...bother to introduce me?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips in that manly manner.

I blushed and smiled. "Yes. You're Smoke."

He chuckled and smoothed his smoky gray hair. "Damn, it beat me to the punch. And who are you, young maiden?"

_Young maiden_? That made me feel beautiful for the first time. Ha, there really is a first for everything!

"I'm Ama...Ama Haruki..." I replied bashfully, blushing again.

He tilted my head up so that I could look in to his smoky gray eyes once again. "A pleasure to meet you, Ama. Would it be alright if I just called you that?"

My blushing deepened. "S-Sure..."

"Good." He grinned as he let go of my chin.

A solid knock on the door startled me and made Smoke turn briskly.

"Come in." He commanded with the strictest-sounding voice I had ever heard.

A young, build man entered with several trays of food.

"Your food, sir."

"Place it on the nightstand." Smoke demanded.

The young man bowed, placed the large tray on the nightstand, then turned towards Smoke's direction.

"Anything else, sir?"

"No, not at the moment. Thank you." Smoke replied, gently this time.

The young man bowed once again and quickly hurried out of the room. Smoke looked back at me, then stood and walked towards the tray of food.

"You must be hungry."

My stomach growled audibly and I tried to cover it as best I could to stop the shaming sounds. I didn't eat anything the other day but a bit of a bagel and some orange juice to wash it down. Smoke only burst in to a beautiful laughter and brought the tray over to me. I stared at everything in awe... a dish of baklava, small bowls filled bits of calamari, chopped eel, eggs benedict, and fish tacos. Another dish had philly cheese steak, wasabi peas, paella, and sushi. SUSHI. For dessert, I could see pistachio ice cream, s'mores, a root bear float, key lime pie, funnel cake, and a chocolate milk shake. My beverages consisted of a regular club soda, water, and white wine. I almost drooled as Smoke handed me a napkin.

"Enjoy."

Without any kind of shame, I automatically dug in. I grabbed an empty place and filled it with a little bit of everything, except the desserts. Those would wait till later. Smoke watched me and sat back on a big, plushy pillow.

"What happened to the left side of your face?" He asked collectedly.

I stopped stuffing my face for a moment and looked up. I swallowed, drank a bit of the club soda, and placed the fork to my side.

"I...I was struck."

Smoke's eyes danced around me with concern. "By who."

His protective tone made me blush-again-and I blinked back the incoming tears very quickly.

"It was...nobody. Don't concern yourself over it.." I breathed out, staring at my plate of food.

"Like hell I'm not," Smoke said fiercely. "Tell me."

I fumbled with pieces of the paella and blushed as I replied, "My mother."

"...What?" He questioned. "What kind of mother would smack her child that violently?"

"Mine..." I whispered with a slight sniff.

Smoke's eyes never left me, and I felt his hand on top of mine. "Hey, it'll be alright. You're away from her now, right? Where do you live?"

"In a small Japanese town called Anto..." I answered.

"Hmph. You are a part of Earthrealm then. Either way, your town is several miles from where we are now. Honestly, I've never heard of it, but if you are of Japanese descent, then you are obviously a citizen of Earthrealm."

"Earthrealm...wait, I've been living in Earthrealm this whole time?!"

He nodded, slightly curling his fingers around my hand once more.

"You're safe here, for the most part."

"What do you mean...for the most part?"

"Well, as I've told you. You are in the Lin Kuei Palace. This place is surrounded by men, and men only. No woman has lived here, except for one, but that was ages ago."

"...Frost?"

Smoke raised his eyebrow. "How do you know about Frost?"

"The Mortal Kombat games..." I gushed.

He gave out a frustrated sigh, then smiled at me. "You have to show me this...video game...sometime."

I blushed and threw a stray piece of the abomination called my hair out of my face. "I'd love to."

He smiled genuinely, then continued. "You will have to stay with me, or Sub-Zero for the most part. As I've said, this place is surrounded with men. Men who haven't seen breasts in ages and who plan to reach out and touch them the moment they present themselves in their presence."

Sub-Zero? _The_ Sub-Zero?! I was so excited, I thought I'd pee myself! That was basically the only thing I heard him say!

"Understood?" He confirmed, his voice demanding.

"Y-Yes. I understand, Smoke."

"Excellent. Now, finish eating what you can."

I looked back at my plate, then glanced up at Smoke.

"I'd love it if...if you joined me..."

He looked at me, then at the tray of food.

"Ah, what the hell. I haven't eaten in a couple days anyhow. Stop taking all the sushi, would ya?"

"Yes, Smoke!" I giggled, giving him some sushi.

I couldn't believe it...I was eating with Smoke! Mortal Kombat Smoke! And according to him, this really wasn't a dream! I was just so excited that I found myself stuffing food in to my mouth, chomping ungracefully. Smoke would chuckle every now and then while he sat with his legs crossed in that criss cross applesauce form, eating the exact opposite way I was. This was amazing...more than I had ever hoped for. And I was meeting Sub-Zero next!

After half an hour of chatting and bits and pieces of food remaining on the tray, Smoke stood and offered his hand. I grabbed it without any kind of hesitation and he pulled me up.

"Right. Before we meet Sub-Zero, allow me to put some ice on the left side of your face. It's been swelling up the moment I found you, and it's bothering me."

"Found me?" I questioned. "Where did you find me?"

"You were right outside the palace gates. Thank the Elder Gods _I_ was the one who found you. The other Lin Kuei members and novices would have already had their way with you by now."

The image of Lin Kuei member stripping me naked and me screaming wasn't a pleasant thought. "Gee, thanks..." I mumbled, rubbing my arms.

"Stop thinking about it. Give me a minute, I need to retrieve some ice."

"Wait, we're going to Sub-Zero, right?"

He turned towards me. "Right."

"Sub-Zero is a Cyromancer."

Smoke blinked.

"Sub-Zero can just touch the side of my face, and the swelling would go down. Right?"

"...Right. Damn, you're a clever young thing, aren't you?"

I blushed and covered the right side of my face. "I try."


	4. Sub-Zero

_**Smoke wasn't kidding when he said that men dominated this place.**_ We would turn corners and there would be men, either a part of the Lin Kuei or novices. I felt their eyes on me, specifically my breasts.

"Ooh la la..."

"Is that...is that a chick?"

"Whoa...man, check it out..._boobies._"

I yelped slightly by their crude remarks and walked closer to Smoke. He looked down at me and clapsed his hand around my upper arm.

"Stay with me. If you feel anyone touching you, inform me immediately."

He had that protective tone in him again. I nodded chastely and kept my head down, staring at his feet as well as my own. His strides were long and proud while mine were short and humble. Sure, I had always walked that way, but it was a little intimidating just by watching him. I had trouble keeping up with him, even with his hand on my arm. Did I want to say something to slow him down? Hell yeah. Was I too shy to ask him? Hell yeah.

"How far away is he?" I asked, trying to keep some kind of conversation going.

"He's in his office." Smoke replied in a short, cut way.

Okay. So, he didn't want to talk. I wonder why...was it because of all these dogs staring at me? Was he trying to uphold some kind of honor for himself? While in my thoughts, I felt a clammy hand ride up my school skirt. I yelped loudly and clashed against Smoke's arm. Smoke jerked around, in his other hand was a ball of smoke, hazy, confusing, unclear, and hazardous.

"Who touched you." He asked defensively, his grasp on my arm tightened.

My eyes darted around and both Smoke and I saw a young novice scurrying away. Smoke growled, threw the ball of smoke at the novice leaving him temporarily dazed, and teleported towards him, leaving me coughing and hacking from the smoke he had left behind. Smoke grabbed the novice by the collar, lifted him with ease until his feet were no longer touching the ground, his fist raised and ready to strike.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing." He seethed through his teeth, his eyes locked on to his victim like a snake to a rabbit.

The novice trembled under Smoke's tight grasp. "P-Please, Master Smoke..."

"You will not come within five inches of the maiden." Smoke looked around, his eyes darting past everybody in the room. "**Am I understood?**!"

The Lin Kuei members hesitated slightly, but bowed. The novices had no second thoughts and bowed immediately. Smoke threw the novice he was holding across the room rather violently, his body hit the ground so hard that I heard some sort of cracking. Smoke grabbed me by my arm once again and pulled me alongside him.

"Try to keep up. We're almost there." He grunted, annoyed.

I blushed with wild embarrassment. Was he frustrated with me because I was so incapable of taking care of myself? I had never trained for anything in my life, and I was regretting that now...I was in the Mortal Kombat world...right? Even I didn't believe it still...it felt so unreal to believe. But even if I was, I had to be able to defend myself against perverts like the novice. I had to fight for my own in a world like this.

We continued walking for another half hour. How big was this place? I was panting, sweating, trying my best to keep up with Smoke. He continued to tug me alongside him, but there was a point where I just couldn't keep up with him. I stopped, felt him tug my arm, but I wouldn't move. He looked at me, his eyebrows raised and his eyes soft.

"Are you alright?" He asked smoothly.

"I-I'm...I'm fine..." I lied. I pulled my arm away from his tight grasp and rubbed it lightly. "Just...tired..."

He smoothed out his hair and bent down to my level. He handed me a handkerchief, embriodered with a small '_S_'. I stared at it, and he gently pushed it towards me.

"Here. You're sweating rather profusely, you're going to need it." He grinned.

I took it with a small grin and wiped my face. It was silky, just like his bed sheets, his pillow, his hair, his hands. Everything about him was silky, and it didn't bother me...I liked silky things. His eyes bore down on me and I couldn't help but look at him.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Do you have any skills?" He asked instantaneously, like he knew I was going to ask that.

I looked down at the now wet handkerchief and balled it up nervously. "I...I can draw..."

He raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

I fumbled with the handkerchief, folding and unfolding it repeatedly. "I can write...and...and uh..."

He waited patiently for an answer I simply couldn't give to him. I wasn't good at _a lot_ of things. I didn't know kung fu, tae quon do, or any other kind of martial art. I didn't know how to block, punch, kick, or trip an opponent. Dammit, I didn't even know how to walk for five seconds without sweating!

He sensed my uncertainty and nodded. "It's alright, Ama. You are still young, and you still have a lot to learn. Don't be so hard on yourself."

His nature was _way_ different from the nature I grew up around. My mother had always pressured me to learn things as quickly as the other people around me. She would encourage me daily to be ahead of others, to educate myself in all that I could in just a short amount of time, and that put a lot of pressure on me. Yet, here is Smoke from the most violent video game I have ever played, telling me not to be so hard on myself. Here he is, telling me that I will be able to learn things in time. I wanted to just ball up and cry...how was it that my own, crappy life was _so much worse_ than the life of a character in a video game, and not just _any_ video game, but a game where death is hovering over everybody at all times?

"Are you ready to continue? I know that you are tired, but we are almost there, I promise." Smoke encouraged, extending his hand to me.

"S-Sure." I said proudly, grabbing his hand in more confidence than I thought I could even muster.

* * *

We continued walking. Somehow sensing that I was struggling because of how fast he was walking, Smoke gradually slowed down, his hand still over my own.

"You should have told me that I was going too fast..." Smoke muttered, his tone slightly turbulent.

"Sorry..." I replied, blushing and grasping his hand tighter. "My fault..."

We stopped in front of doors bigger than the doors to Smoke's own room. Smoke looked at me, his eyes showed every sort of encouragement in the world. "Are you ready?"

I gulped, had the sudden desire to wipe my sweaty hands on my skirt, and nodded. Oh crap, I was about to meet Sub-Zero. _Sub-freaking-Zero_!

"Alright," Smoke sighed. "Here we go."

Smoke pounded on the door, his fist balled and his muscles flexing. I watched in absolute wonder and jumped when I heard a powerful voice shout, "**Come in.**"

My heart fell and I pulled myself to Smoke's arm, grasping on to him as if he were my only life source in the entire ocean. He stroked my hair, tilted my chin, and stared at me with those amazing gray, smoky eyes.

"Breathe. It'll be alright." He whispered.

I took in a deep breath, waiting for him to tell me to exhale. He continued to stare in to my soul, then whispered, "Exhale."

I exhaled quickly in to his face, and he blinked rapidly. His eyes crinkled, a sign of his amusement.

"There. He won't hurt you. He may be tough, but he's like a big teddy bear. Don't tell him I told you that." He winked and slowly opened the grand doors. I walked behind him, hoping to God that Sub-Zero wouldn't sense my presence.

"Smoke," Sub-Zero acknowledged with a slight bow.

"Grand Master." Smoke bowed.

I yelped slightly and watched as Sub-Zero's icy stare landed on me. Dammit, Smoke. You blew my freaking cover.

"I see our guest as awaken," Sub-Zero said nonchalantly as he stepped down from his oversized desk and stolled over towards me.

Smoke straightened and gently pushed me towards Sub-Zero. I wanted only to hide behind him again, but Sub-Zero was already walking towards me, his fists curled and his stare all the more intimidating. I thought I was going to pee myself.

"State your name." Sub-Zero demanded, standing just a couple of inches away from me.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Smoke crinkled his eyebrows, his eyes darted from Sub-Zero to me. Sub-Zero seemed to be waiting patiently, but I didn't know. Everything about him looked so...serious and business like. His arms remained crossed, and he wasn't moving. I wasn't even sure if he was breathing.

"A...A-A-A-A..." I stuttered, trying to say my freaking name.

Sub-Zero raised an eyebrow and shifted slightly.

"A-A-..."

"Dammit..." Smoke cursed under his breath. "Her name is Ama."

Sub-Zero looked back at Smoke, then looked at me. Smoke glared at me and I hung my head in shame.

"Can you speak, young one?" Sub-Zero asked with the same airy tone.

Too ashamed to lift my head, I allowed my eyes to travel the massive carpet with the all too famous Lin Kuei symbol. After a few moments of observing, I nodded my head. Sub-Zero uncrossed his arms and stepped toward Smoke.

"Who is she, where is she from, what is she doing here."

Smoke kept his glaring eyes on me and replied, "Haruki, Ama. Anto, Japan. Apparently, she came here through this...video game. She speaks of it very fondly, but this...game...just so happens to have _us_ in it. The game seemed to have somehow sucked her through to our world."

Sub-Zero's icy stare traveled towards me once more. "Is that true, young one?"

I lifted my head and glanced at Smoke, who seemed to know what he was talking about. I nodded in response. Sub-Zero looked back at Smoke.

"Her intentions?"

"She has none. She is confused, still getting used to her surroundings."

I wanted very badly to thank Smoke for speaking for me. It was embarrassing enough that I couldn't talk to one of my favorite characters in the game. But there was no doubt in my mind that he would scold me about this later.

"I see," Sub-Zero began. "Does she have any skills?"

Damn, that was the same question Smoke had asked me. I hung my head again, waiting for Smoke to reply with a flat out, "No."

"Well...she can draw. She can write lengthened sentences in just a matter of minutes as well." Smoke beamed.

"You know that's not what I meant, Smoke." Sub-Zero scolded.

"Yeah, but you did ask if she had skill. She knows a couple of things."

Yeah, just a couple. Literally.

"Do you have any skill in the martial arts?" Sub-Zero asked rather impatiently because Smoke's smart-ass statement.

My chin still resting on my chest, I managed to shake my head.

"Hmph. A shame." Sub-Zero sighed as he traveled back to his desk.

Smoke walked to my side and put his hand on my shoulder. "Should we still take her to Lord Raiden?"

My head shot up so quickly, I gave myself a headache. "Raiden?!"

Sub-Zero's eyes widened with amusement. Smoke smirked and I blushed...again.

"So you _can_ talk." Sub-Zero gleamed with a slight chuckle. He stood from his desk and walked over to me again. He extended his hand. "I am Sub-"

"Zero..." I whispered, grabbing his large, surprisingly warm hand and shaking it.

He looked befuddled and Smoke laughed, rubbing the chin of his mask. "This video game seems to introduce us long before we ever could."

Sub-Zero shook my hand gently and his eyes locked with mine. "I would like to see this game sometime. Who else is in it?"

I released his hand and cupped it to my chin, thinking. "Well, there's Smoke, Liu Kang, Kano, Jade, Scorpion-"

"No way, Scorpion's in there?" Smoke asked like an interested teenager.

"How interesting," Sub-Zero chuckled melodically. I just wanted to melt again. Two sexy chunks of meat were in the presence of small, insignificant me, and they were making conversation with me. How wonderful it all felt! I had butterflies floating not only in my stomach, but in all places of my body; it felt like I could float whenever I wanted to.

"Go on, who else?" Sub-Zero encouraged, his arms crossed once again.

"There's Kung Lao, Reptile, Quan Chi, Sindel, Sheeva, Stryker, Cyrax, Sektor, Kitana, Raiden, Johnny Cage-"

"Ugh, that pompous ass." Smoke said disgustedly, pretending to retch.

I giggled uncontrollably and Sub-Zero placed his hand behind my back just to get me to stop.

"It sounds fascinating," Sub-Zero said with a casual air of regal authority. "And, what is this game called?"

"Mortal Kombat." I replied quickly.

Sub-Zero's amused look vanished just as I said that. What? That's what the game was called!

"The tournament?" He demanded.

The tone in his voice made me jump just a little and I nodded in response. Sub-Zero began to pace slowly, carefully, thoughtfully. Smoke seemed to be just as confused as I was until Sub-Zero spoke again. "We've got to get her out of here."

"What?" Both Smoke and I asked at the same time. He glanced at me and I at him.

"You heard me. Ama, you need to leave this place as soon as possible."

"But...Bu-B-B-Bu-B-"

"Why, Sub-Zero?" Smoke besieged.

Stupid stuttering fits. My face turned a bright tomato red, which slightly made the left side of my face swell up even more.

"Why are you asking me _why_, Smoke? Isn't it painfully obvious? She's a young girl, stuck in a world where violence reigns. She has no skills that could keep her alive here, and she could die in a matter of seconds. I don't want her corpse on my conscience, understood?" Sub-Zero spat out, cross on all levels.

"Where the hell do you expect her to go, Sub-Zero? She wasn't exactly living a life of luxury where she _was_ at, look at the left side of her freaking face!" Smoke replied with the same irritated tone.

Sub-Zero's eyes landed on me again, notably the left side of my face. He walked over to me and roughly yanked my chin using the tips of his fingers.

"What happened?" He asked gruffly, tilting my chin to observe the swelling closely.

"I...I-I was struck-"

"By who." He pressed.

"M-M-My mother..."

His gaze softened and he, with his other hand, touched the left side of my face. I winced and backed away slightly, but he pulled me towards him.

"Be still. You're going to feel a slight chill down your spine, but you'll be alright." He said softly.

I nodded and watched his eyes closely. They were beautiful to gaze at; like little oceans contained in two, perfectly alluring eyes. I blushed at the fact that our lips were just a couple inches apart and he gave me a confused stare.

"Why are you blushing?"

"I-I-I-I always do it..." I grumbled. "It's...embarrassing."

He didn't reply. I was shocked when he finally said, "It shouldn't be. It suits you."

...Was he flirting with me? Was one of my biggest crushes in video games...flirting with me? What the hell was there to flirt with? I could only imagine Smoke rolling his eyes, crossing his arms, and putting all of his weight on one leg. When I glanced over at him, I saw him doing what I had envisioned and I giggled.

"Ready?" Sub-Zero asked.

I blinked rapidly and before I could _actually_ reply, I felt an overflowing amount of chills running down my back, my arms, my legs. It wasn't _just_ my spine, Subby. I shook slightly and Sub-Zero huffed gently.

"Be still," He scolded. "Relax."

I closed my eyes and tried my best to relax. I thought of his eyes bearing down on me in the most gentle manner and I began to blush again. He began moving his thumb up and downmy injured cheek and I felt my legs locking.

"Good," Sub-Zero encouraged. "The swelling is going down."

I nodded and felt him stop me by grasping my face just a little tighter.

"Be still."

"S-Sorry..."

It felt nice, feeling his icy hands on my once swollen cheek. From the Mortal Kombat video games, it seemed like he could be able to control his body temperature and get it to go from healing mode to killing mode. Scorpion on the other hand seemed to lose it once he lost even a speck of his composure.

"There," Sub-Zero said as he let go of me completely. "The swelling had reduced."

"How do you feel?" Smoke asked.

Before I could reply, my eyes fluttered and I began to fall. Before I hit the carpet, I felt strong, cold arms around me.

"Dammit, Ama!" I heard Smoke cry out.

I looked up with a very fuzzy eyesight and saw Sub-Zero's worried expression. Before drifting off, I cuddled against him and breathed out, "S-Sorry..."


	5. Raiden

_**"Are you sure she's alright?"**_

"She will be."

There was another, new voice there. Who was it? My brain begged for me to open my eyes, but my senses told me to keep them shut and just listen.

"Thank you for coming here, Lord Raiden." Smoke said gently.

...Raiden?!

"Gratitude is unnecessary. I'm simply glad that you acknowledged her presence before your other comrades were able to lay their hands on her first."

"You could say that again..." I heard Smoke drone.

"What has caused her to pass out?" Sub-Zero asked, more than just a little curiously.

"She probably locked her knees when you were reducing the pain in her cheek. She did the same thing towards me, she'll be alright." Smoke chuckled.

"I believe the young woman is already starting to come to," Raiden proclaimed with his awesome godliness. "Stand back."

Bro, I was already awake. My eyes fluttered open with ease and I felt Smoke's hand behind on the back of my neck.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked with a small chortle.

I grinned from his touch alone and pulled myself in to a sitting position. "Yeah, I'm fine..."

"You gave us a little bit of a scare there, young one," Sub-Zero scolded, his arms crossed and business-like. "It was an unnecessary scare."

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled, playing with my fingers.

Raiden approached me and I tensed up, not looking up just to look at him. I heard him chuckle gently before extending his hand.

"There is no reason to panic, little one. I am Lord Raiden, protector of-"

"Earthrealm..." I finished, slowly grabbing his hand and shaking it without any sort of eye contact. "Pleasure..."

Raiden paused, his grip firm but even I could sense his confusion. How awesome it was that a girl like me could know all of this stuff just by playing the game? It felt like I knew more than even _Raiden_ did!

"She gets it from this thing called a video game. The game itself is called Mortal Kombat." Sub-Zero announced.

Raiden stared at me and I at him. I had noticed early on in the games that he had no irises in his eyes, and although it suit him, it freaked me out. He seemed to sense this as he released my hand and chuckled.

"A...video game, is it? A...technological commodity?" Raiden asked, probably trying to soften the building tension.

I nodded quickly, my choppy hair pricking me on the cheeks in the process. Sub-Zero smirked and leaned against a wall. God, that was sexy.

"I'm glad to see that you are alright, young one." Raiden smiled.

"Please, call me Ama..." I flushed and twiddled with my hands.

"So, what did you need to tell her?" Smoke asked, removing his hand and leaning against the couch I was laying on.

"Ah, right." Raiden nodded before extending his hand to me once more.

I took it and he steadily brought me to my feet. He took several steps away from me with his hands behind his back formally.

"While you were recuperating, Smoke and Sub-Zero informed me of your premonitions. Smoke has informed me of the life you lived before you came here. And, I have also been informed as to _how _you got here."

I swayed, uncertain as to where he was going with this.

"You are in a dangerous world, my dear. Wanting to be a part of it is absolute _lunacy_. This world revolves around murder, betrayal, deception, invasion, armageddon." His gaze on me turned to one of full alert and of utmost concern. "I would send you back right this minute."

I flinched. It felt like I was unwanted here just as much as I was back home, only it was for my own good.

"But...I'm afraid it can't be done."

My head shot up in surprise. _What_? I couldn't go back to the hell I called home?! How excellent it was! Smoke smiled while Sub-Zero gave a questionable look towards Raiden. I loved how confidently Raiden stood; that's right, Subby, he meant what he said.

"Lord Raiden, how is she to survive here if she doesn't even know how to throw a punch? What is her purpose here?" Sub-Zero asked.

It felt like I had been pushed down in to the mud and the muck. Yeah, he was right, but it still hurt. Raiden looked at Sub-Zero and continued.

"I understand these concerns. That is why I am permitting her stay here in the Lin Kuei Palace. She will train under your hand, but her knowledge of kombat must grow in order for her to be allowed to travel the realms as she sees fit."

..._Really?! Oh my gosh, somebody pinch me __**now!**_

Sub-Zero looked over at me, anything but a look of pleasantry on his face. Smoke gave a small laugh before composing himself and Raiden crossed his arms.

"Although I am not sure what her purpose is here, it must be compelling enough to where the Elder Gods will not allow her any way out."

"Aren't _you_ essential." Smoke whispered, nudging me in the process.

I gave him a small, teasing push and kept my gaze on Raiden. Sub-Zero didn't look happy, but why didn't he? I knew that I could be a burden, but was I _so big_ of a burden that it bothered one of my most esteemed characters?

"I will check up on your progress in three weeks, Ama. Please get a lot of rest and allow Sub-Zero to teach you all he knows."

"All he...knows?" I asked.

"Yes. Your technological device may have presented only half of his abilities, as well as Smoke's. Take these abilities in to consideration."

Oh jeez. He knew more than what was presented in the game? _That_ wasn't good because I didn't _know_ any of his other moves. This was going to be _crazy_.

"Before I head off Ama, I would like to demonstrate to you how to access the portal to other realms. First off...do you..._know_ the other realms?" Raiden asked slowly.

Feeling knowledgable once again, I nodded with confidence. "Yes, there's Earthrealm, where we currently are, the Netherrealm, Chaosrealm, Outworld, Seido, and Edenia."

"Clever young girl," Raiden beamed. "I will show you how to access a portal that will allow you entry to any one you choose."

"Wow!" I giggled in response.

His hands extended, he began a circular motion that was by some means attractive to watch. From his hands came a purple and sky blue light and he grunted slightly, releasing it. I watched as four other portals with four distinct colors spread out and presented themselves to me. Raiden chuckled by my fascination and clapsed his hands together.

"Here are the other realms which you have listed off." He announced.

"Cool!" I squealed, jumping towards them. I felt his strong, large hand on my shoulder, stopping me from doing something moronic.

"Settle down," he chided. "This is no game. Access to the Netherrealm is that crimson portal there. I advise that you not go there just to roam around, Ama. It is dangerous, immediately tainting a pure soul once he or she steps foot there."

"The Netherrealm..." I repeated. "Hey, isn't that where Scorpion lives?"

Sub-Zero winced while a serious look was plastered Smoke's face. Raiden nodded in reply, and I could tell that he was a touchy subject.

"The realm of Chaos is just as dangerous as the Netherrealm, considering the place is...well...chaotic. You must be on the look out at all times."

"Got it." I replied assuredly.

As Raiden gestured toward the purple portal, his voice dropped and became ten times more serious.

"The Netherrealm and the realm of Chaos aren't particularly places where you should wander. But I don't want you going to Outworld without an escort. The Elder Gods see much potential in you, there is no doubt that Shao Kahn knows about this."

"Whoa, Shao Kahn?" I asked timidly. Sure, he was the bad guy. Sure, I could single handedly defeat him using either Jade, Kitana, or Scorpion. But now that I was in this world, Kahn really started to freak me out. I had never even noticed how big he _really _was_._

"Yes," Raiden continued. "Do not roam this realm for your own pleasure, Ama. Please."

Whoa, this was serious business. I nodded, confident not to disobey. Raiden pointed towards a fine blue portal and I eyed it in suspicion.

"Seido?" I asked.

"Correct. The realm of Seido is the exact opposite of the realm of Chaos, order and systematic protocal taken at all times. Though you are free to roam there, I advise that you be careful. You can be put to death for the simplest of things, and you can be put in jail for many years while awaiting a trial."

My throat became incredibly parched. Jail? I've never been to jail before...I mean, I knew that I wasn't going to jail at the moment, but the very thought scared me. And put to death? Put to death for what, not following curfew?

"The new law includes being put to death if not indoors by twenty-three hundred hours." Smoke reported.

...Damn, were they seriously serious?!

Raiden then pointed towards the light blue portal and my heart felt like it was about to pop right out of my chest. I smiled the biggest, geekiest smile and curled my fingers to my chest.

"Edenia!" I squealed.

Sub-Zero lifted his eyebrow and looked over at Smoke, who was laughing and rubbing his temples gently.

"That's right," Raiden chuckled. "Edenia is peaceful, serene. You can visit this realm anytime you wish-"

"Will I be able to see Kitana?! Jade?! Sindel?!"

Raiden sighed and nodded. I thought I was about to pee myself; excitement overtook me and I just wanted to leap in to the realm right there and then.

"Compose yourself, Ama." Sub-Zero grunted.

I tried to compose myself, I _tried_ to take in a breath of fresh air, but excitement simply took me over. I was able to see the Queen of Edenia along with her daughter and her daughter's bodyguard! My freaking IDOLS!

"Although you can visit anytime you want, please be careful. Kahn's plans of invasion haven't disappeared."

"Yeah, okay, yup!" I giggled, jumping up and down.

I heard Sub-Zero sigh with frustration and Smoke's amused laughter continued to echo the office.

"Now, how to activate them." Raiden walked behind me and grabbed my arms. I felt his electric charge running down the rest of my body, and I felt pretty damn powerful. It felt like I could shoot a ball of lightening at one of my school mates...ugh, if only they were here to see this. Maybe it would be then that my torment would die out.

His energy flowed through me, and I felt capable of anything.

"Now, focus your energy in to the realm you wish to visit. Close your eyes. Whatever you think will be associated with that exact realm."

I did as Raiden said and focused all of my energy in to thinking of the realm I wanted to visit most; Edenia. I began to think of lush trees, grass, bushes, houses so high yet so humble, cobblestone with flowers sprouting from the cracks, the very palaces of Edenia ran through my mind. Skyscraping, numerous, majestic, yet at the very same time humble, welcoming, sovereign in all ways. My thoughts then began to travel to Jade, Sindel, and Kitana, Sindel seated proudly on her throne, Kitana seated gracefully beside her, and Jade seated just below Kitana, not too much but just enough to know that Kitana held authority.

"Now...open your eyes."

My eyes snapped open in seconds and in front of me was a red portal. The Netherrealm? What?! How did the Netherrealm pop out from my lovely, quiet thoughts?!

"You...were thinking about the Netherrealm?" Raiden asked gently.

"No, no I swear I wasn't! I was thinking about Edenia, I was thinking about p-palaces and l-l-l-lush surroundings!"

"How odd..." Raiden whispered, gently tapping his chin with his index finger.

"Maybe she's eager to meet Scorpion." Smoke teased.

"Shut up, Smoke!" I blushed violently. Yeah I wanted to meet Scorpion, but Sindel, Kitana, and Jade were on the top of my list and he just had to wait!

"Perhaps the Elder Gods have something planned for you in the Netherrealm, Ama. This discomforts me, but it seems that you have a duty to fulfill there before you can travel amoung the realms."

...Huh, so I would be able to meet with Scorpion. Butterflies began to sprout wings in my stomach...yeah, I liked Scorpion. I thought he was hot, literally and figuratively. But in all honesty, _he_ scared me more than Kahn did.

"Oh..." I managed to mumble, the butterflies in my stomach fluttering to no end.

"Ama and Scorpion, sittin' in a tree-" Smoke began.

"I said shut up, Smoke!" I spat.

Sub-Zero's once annoyed look turned in to one of child-like curiosity. His icy eyes landed on me, only making me blush all the more. Raiden approached Sub-Zero, and his eyes darted towards the thunder god.

"I trust you to keep her in your care for the time being, Sub-Zero. Smoke, you will guard her as well, as an apprieciation of finding her before any of your comrades."

"Yes, Lord Raiden." Smoke bowed his head.

Raiden turned to me and said, "Heed my warnings, Ama. Do not go to the Netherrealm, the Chaosrealm, or Outworld without an escort. Be discreet in Seido, and be wary in Edenia. I will be watching you from afar and will assist you if need be."

"Yes, I understand. Thank you...Raiden." I replied.

With that, Raiden raised his arm like Superman and vanished in a flash of electricity. I stared back at the portal I had summoned and I tried to get it to go away by focusing on Edenia again; it wouldn't work.

"Remember what Lord Raiden has told you, young one. You seem to have a mission there that needs to be accomplished." Sub-Zero said professionally.

"Oh yeah..." I mumbled, crawling back to my feet.

"I don't know why you're so bummed about it, Ama. Apparently, you seem to admire the Specter. Why?" Smoke asked, leaning against a wall and crossing his right leg over his left.

"I...I-I-I...I don't know..." I huffed, throwing my body on a sofa. "He just...I just...he's attractive, alright?"

"What?" Both Smoke and Sub-Zero asked, only Sub-Zero spat it out more.

"I think he's...sexy..." I whispered the last word.

"You...you do _realize_ that he has no face." Smoke stated bluntly.

"In my imagination he does..."

"Okay, then you do recognize that he is married, correct?" Sub-Zero asked.

"Technically, not anymore...she's dead..."

"That doesn't erase the fact that he's married!" Sub-Zero shouted.

"Hey, hey." Smoke scolded, causing Sub-Zero to lower his shoulders and cross his arms like a little child.

"Why does it bother you so much anyways..." I asked Sub-Zero while playing with a string of my hair.

"It...it doesn't."

Sub-Zero stormed towards the door.

"Get some rest. We start early tomorrow." Sub-Zero opened the door then slammed it roughly.

I jumped from the impact and Smoke walked over to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and looked at the door.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked defensively, trying my best to fight off tears.

Smoke sat beside me and folded his hands together. "Believe me, it does."


	6. A Night With Smoke

_**Smoke was once again my safeguard on the way back to his room.**_ I could tell that he was looking for Sub-Zero, but I didn't want for him to. I liked Sub-Zero, but not like this. This is not how I had portrayed him. The seriousness I could understand, but the douchbag-gery I couldn't. What the hell went up his ass?

"It's a bit safer now, considering the other Lin Kuei members are sleeping," Smoke said slowly, occasionally looking around. "But you could never be too sure of things."

"Hmm..." I replied, staring at his feet again.

"...Are you hungry again? It's been awhile since you've eaten."

"I'm fine..." I whimpered.

There was a brief silence besides our footsteps hitting the clear marble floor. Why was I so concerned over how Sub-Zero saw me anyhow? I had been wondering this my whole life, only it wasn't just towards Sub-Zero...it was towards my mother, my classmates, my teacher, everybody who had some kind of association with me. Was I so much of an exasperation that even a video game character has to shun me? What was _wrong_ with me? Did Smoke even want me here? What about Raiden? What will happen when I do meet Jade, and Kitana...will they do the same thing? Do I have some kind of human contact repellent around me or something?

These thoughts caused tears to well up. But I would never allow them to fall. Whenever tears began to rise, I vowed to myself never to let them fall, never to let any present or future enemy see such weakness. My nose began to run, but I covered it as quickly as I could. I will not be weak.

We approached Smoke's bedroom doors and before going in, my face slammed against his body. I was dazed, unaware of what was going on until I felt his smooth hand lift my chin.

"What's wrong."

The left side of my face began to throb and I groaned in vexation as I pushed his hand away. "Nothing. I'm tired, can we go in."

He quickly lifted my chin again and when I tried to escape, his fingers gently dug in to my skin.

"Look at me." He commanded with great concern.

I purposely darted my eyes to the left and right to avoid his own. He firmly shook my chin to get me to stop, and it did the trick.

"Ama, look at me."

I sighed and looked at him. "What?"

He seemed to desire to search for the turmoil that was in my life and destroy it. Although it was touching, I didn't want him to. I had to fight for my own; it's my life after all, and nobody else is going to live it or fight for it like I had to. I huffed with great irritation and felt my tears begin to flood to the point where they blinded me once again.

"What do you want, huh? I'm looking at you, aren't I? What?!"

Smoke seemed unaffected by my shouting. His eyes simply continued their quest to search and destroy.

"Tell me what's wrong." He said firmly yet lightly.

The tears disappeared just as quickly as they had risen and I sighed.

"Is it Sub-Zero?"

After a couple of seconds, I nodded.

Smoke released my chin and opened one of the doors. He motioned for me to go inside by raising his arm and giving a slight wave of his hand.

"After you." He spoke smoothly.

I went in and watched as he entered, closing the door behind him slowly and carefully. He walked over to the plush pillows we were seated at earlier and sat before summoning me to join him. Blushing, I conceded and sat across from him. His arms were out in that relaxed, boy-like aspect and his head tilted to one side. What was he thinking when he looked at me besides awkward and feeble girl sucked through from another universe _to_ another universe?

"...Would you like anything to drink?"

...Water would be nice. Or coffee. Maybe hot chocolate if the Lin Kuei even supplied that.

"No..." I lied.

"Liar."

...Thank God he saw straight through them. He stood and walked over to a small table that supplied all of the beverages I had thought of and more.

"Smoke?"

He turned.

"Could you get me some hot chocolate?"

He chuckled and turned. "On it."

As he was preparing the hot chocolate, my mind wandered as I stared at the moon beaming peacefully through the spacious window. I wondered if my mother noticed my disappearance. I wondered how my room looked...probably clothes all over the place, bed undone, my controller either on the bed or on the floor, the television still on, my bathroom a complete hodgepodge, my toothbrush, wherever the hell it was, probably nesting baby spiders...I wondered how my baby brother was doing, praying that he wasn't undergoing the same amount of pressure and torment that our mother placed upon me. Maybe I could find a new mother in Sindel. She was a mother after all, and not just a mother, but the mother of one of my idols.

"A penny for your thoughts." Smoke commented, his back still turned and his arms moving at a quick pace.

"Just...wondering what it's like in Edenia..." I said as I smoothed out my skirt.

"...It's beautiful there. You'd love it."

"You've been?" Duh, stupid question, but it kept the conversation going. Seriously, how would _you_ reply after that besides _my_ reply?

"Yes, many times. It's a shame I never had the chance to relax there though. Whenever I do go, it's always as an assignment. I recall a time where I had to assasinate some undercover Black Dragon initiate. He tried to give us the run around, but I put a stop to it before it got too serious."

"Would you...like to relax there?"

"Of course," he replied as he turned towards me. "Who wouldn't, Edenia is a haven compared to the other realms. I don't blame you for wanting to go so badly."

My feelings for Smoke were beginning to blossom on a more emotional level. I could see that I could talk to him about anything that I wanted to, and he would talk back without anything becoming awkward between us. I wonder how he did that. Then again, I wonder how he did a lot of things.

"Oh, but when you do go to Edenia, you have to go see the fountains. They're magnificent, especially around this time of year." Smoke said as he turned his back to me, attending to the hot chocolate.

"The fountains...yes, I remember seeing something that resembled them in one of the television shows!"

"Television shows?" His head turned lickety-split towards my direction.

"Oh that's right, you guys are also on T.V. Quite something, huh?"

Smoke looked baffled and it only made me giggle. It was so adorable how they didn't know any of this. Not even Raiden knew more than I did!

"Have you...met Kitana?" I asked.

"Yes. I've seen her plenty of times after first meeting her. Whenever she comes to Earthrealm, she's usually always by Liu Kang's side."

"So, she goes to the Wu Shi Academy a lot?"

"Yes, just to visit Kang. She usually stays there for a night and then departs early the next day."

"Does Jade go with her?"

"Yes. She has to. It doesn't seem to bother her though, she and Kitana hit it off the moment they met."

"Just like you and Sub-Zero?"

"Yes."

"...What do Kitana and Jade look like?"

"Uh...how they look in your video game I suppose."

"Are their personalities the same?"

"I...I guess so...again, I don't know how they act in your game."

"Do they live in the same palace?

"...You are incredibly fond of Jade and Kitana, aren't you?"

I nodded bashfully. "I really can't wait to meet them."

"Then you can ask them all you wish to ask them when you meet them. I don't know about their personal lives."

Smoke poured the hot chocolate in to little cups and walked over to me. I took the cup he extended toward me and observed it before taking a small sip. The heat felt like needles against my sensitive tongue, pricking it continually. But that didn't mean that it tasted bad; it was very, very, VERY good. I wasn't sure what was in the mix, but it was the best hot chocolate I had ever tasted, and I've had my fair share of hot chocolate in the past. It tasted creamy, the chocolate not being too strong, but strong enough for it to really be classified as hot chocolate. Instead of sipping it steadily, I managed to chug the rest of the cup. Smoke watched as I lowered it and licked my lips, yearning for more.

"...I see you liked it," Smoke sighed, his eyes crinkled with amusement. "I'll get you some more."

"Please." I whispered, extending my cup towards him.

He lowered the cup and shook his head. "I'm going to need a bigger cup."

I giggled, blushed, and looked out the window as he poured more hot chocolate in to a much bigger cup. He returned and handed me the oversized cup and I giggled.

"Sorry about that-"

"It's not a problem, Ama, Don't apologize, you've been through a lot in such a short amount of time."

"Oh...I'm glad you understand..." I croaked.

I really was however. I was grateful to him, and I had only known him for a short period of time. It felt like I owed my life to him, and I did. He had saved me from things that I never thought would happen to me, and things that hopefully wouldn't.

He took off his mask and pushed his hair back. _Whoa_, the rest of his face...he was so handsome, his lips gently pursed together, his straight nose a wonder to me...who knew noses could be so defined like his? His cheekbones were high...like he belonged to some noble family. But what I really noticed about his face was his eyes. The mask, he could definately work without. It was just his eyes...they seemed to toy with my emotions, yet embrace them all together.

As he was sipping at the hot chocolate from his cup, I couldn't help but observe his movements. He was indeed a beautiful man, although not fully a man but a creature as well. According to his story mode in the lastest Mortal Kombat, he had the power to take out radical cult members, so there was no doubt that he was powerful. Yet, here he was...sipping hot chocolate with me in such a waveless manner. His eyes locked with mine for a brief second and I looked away without delay. Dammit, he caught me. Did he know that I was thinking about him?

"There seems to be something about me that you find intriguing."

"My...my bad, I...you...uh...crap."

He smiled and licked his lips. "No worries. You intrigue me as well, Ama. How you know so much about this realm as well as the other realms astonishes me. How long have you been playing this...video game?"

"For several years, really..." I started, putting the hot chocolate down beside me. "My father first bought it for me and expressed to me how he had played it when he was a child. When I performed my first fatality with Sub-Zero, he was so proud...my mother would always scold him, saying that the game did nothing for me, but he ignored her and continued to allow me to play it, even though the violent nature of it made him pause and think sometimes."

Tears began to rise again. I blinked to get them to stay where they were.

"Hmm. How is your father doing now?"

I froze. A sudden flashback flew through my mind, a man kissing me on my forehead wishing me the greatest of dreams...and the next morning, that man wasn't there anymore. My palms began to sweat as I recalled searching the house everywhere, looking for him. My mother was seated at the dining table, looking indifferent towards the events that I knew nothing about. My baby brother was wailing continuously from his bedroom and I kept searching for the man in vain.

_"He doesn't love you anymore. That's why he left. He doesn't love any of us anymore." My mother said bitterly, staring at nothing but her fracturable, small hands. _

I took a deep breath, trying to get away from the flashback. But all I could see was my six year old self, searching for that one man...that man who had showed me more love than I could ever dream of.

"Ama..."

Just by Smoke saying my name, I jumped in a panic. His eyes were sympathetic as he leaned in and put his hand on my knee. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Didn't know what? Did he see what I saw? Was I hesitant for so long?

"My...my father-"

He put his index finger to my lips, indicating that he didn't want to hear it. My tears dazed my eyesight once again; I missed that man, the man I had once called my father. Even after all these years, I couldn't help but wonder where he had gone, why he had disappeared...was it because of me? Did he really not love me anymore? Is that why I was so broken on the inside?

"Hey..." Smoke whispered. "Ama, can you hear me?"

My eyes darted to his and I cleared my throat. In my best attempt to compose myself, I had accidentally knocked down the hot chocolate.

"Oh no..." I exclaimed and desperately picked the cup up.

Smoke was just watching me as I tried to clean up the mess with my hands. I groaned in frustration, the steam from the chocolate burning my hands. I felt Smoke's hand on my shoulder and I turned towards him.

"Do you have...uh...any...uhm...paper towels...or uh..."

Without speaking, he threw a cloud of smoke over it and I watched as it's hazy form covered the spilled chocolate.

"Don't worry." He said carefully, pulling me in to his arms.

I blushed and allowed for him to wrap his arms around me. What was this? What was he doing? He rested his chin on my head and moved slowly, rocking me along with him. My eyes were wide; I wasn't sure what I was suppossed to do. Did I have to close my eyes and drift off, or did he want me to talk to him...what.

"Your first day of training starts tomorrow. Nervous?" He asked calmly, still swaying back and forth.

It was nice how he switched the topic like that. I thought that I was going to pass out again.

"Y-Y-Y-Y...yeah..." I stuttered while staring at his muscular arms.

"Don't be. I do have to warn you though, beware of his ice attacks. He'll slide on ice over and over just to piss you off. He'll throw ice balls at you, he'll freeze your feet...he takes full advantage of his cyromancer abilities."

"Haha, I know what you mean! In the lastest Mortal Kombat game, he always slides on ice and it exasperates me to no end!"

"_Exactly._ See, whenever we are dueling, he always does his damn ice slide in particular and I've expressed to him how bothersome it really is. He told me to suck it up. So now, whenever he does that confounded ice slide, I throw a cloud of smoke at him. Works every time."

His 'as a matter of fact' tone made me giggle, and I cuddled against his warm body.

"Don't worry too much about him, Ama. He's just...concerned."

"Concerned?"

"Yes. He seems to show an interest in you, so finding out that you like his nemesis concerns him."

"He...what?!" I asked, jumping out of his arms.

Smoke watched me, a look of discombobulation crossed his face. "What's wrong, what is it?"

"He...he's shown..._interest_ in me?" I asked slowly so that I wouldn't stumble over my own words again.

"...It hasn't been obvious to you?"

"No!"

He raised his hands in defense. "Okay, okay, calm down."

I rushed at him, my face inches from his own. "How. Talk, how!"

"How what-"

"How has he shown his interest, you know how!"

Smoke blinked and stared at me. I grabbed a chunk of his hair and pulled.

"Gah, what the hell, Ama!"

"Talk!"

"Alright, alright, you don't have to get the hair involved! Let go!"

"No!"

"Wha-why not?!"

"Because it's soft and plushy!"

He slapped my hand away and rubbed his head. "You didn't have to do that."

"Talk or I'll do it again!"

"Alright, jeez. You apparently didn't notice how nice and gentle he was being towards you before you knocked yourself out. He usually isn't _that_ nice. I mean, he can be, but...just not towards people he has just met. I know, I've been around him for several centuries."

"How was he being nice, he almost made me pee myself!" I shouted.

"You really _should_ calm down you know. And he's like that towards people he meets. Only this time, he seemed to lighten up a little more. Maybe because he knew that you were intimidated by him."

"Is it...is it because I'm a female that he's...interested?" I asked quietly.

"What? No. Sub-Zero has more control over his...manly urges. More control than I do, that's for sure."

"Wait...so, why did you rescue me if you haven't..." I began, unsure of how I should end the sentence.

"You misunderstand, Ama. I have more respect for you, and I felt such respect when I first saw you. Besides, I don't see you that way. You remind me more of a lost sister that I have just been reaquainted with."

...Was I just rejected by Smoke? Wait, rephrase that...family-zoned by Smoke? And not even _family-zoned_, freaking _long lost_ family-zoned. I slumped my shoulders just by taking this in, then snapped out of it.

"I can see that...offended you." Smoke said slowly.

"Nah, I'm good. You're pretty freaking sexy, but you were never my cup of tea either." I mumbled.

Smoke chuckled and crossed his arms. "Right, you prefer the undead ninja specters without faces. How quickly I forget."

"Hey," I warned, pointing my finger at him. "Shut up."

He rolled his eyes and stood. "You also forget how he touched your face while he was healing you. He was caressing it. _Caressing_. But whatever I suppose, you really should get some rest. I'll be keeping watch, so don't worry about any funny business."

"If you're watching over me, then maybe I should be concerned." I smiled as I touched the left side of my face. Now that I think of it, he was being incredibly gentle...I just figured that was how he was. I had only indicated flirting when he eulogized my blushing, but quickly brushed it off. He's sexy, I'm...me. He had to be playing some kind of practical joke if he _was_ to be interested in me, and he didn't seem like the _joking_ type.

He raised his eyebrow. "Oh yeah? How about I let you sleep in the hall, I have plenty of pillows and blankets. Just beware of the other Lin Kuei members."

"...Yeah yeah, you can watch over me..." I grumbled.

"Good. Now, on the bed."

My eyes widened. "Wha...where are you going to sleep?"

He rolled his eyes again. "Not with you, nitwit. I'll be on the pillows."

"...The pillows on the bed?"

He sighed, walked over to me, picked me up bridal style, and threw me on the bed.

"Hey! That was _not_ even necessary!" I squawked.

"It was too. Now shut up and go to sleep."

I huffed and threw the massive covers over my small frame. I watched as he fluffed the pillows off to the side of the bed.

"Smoke?"

"Hmm?"

"...Thank you."

He was silent, which I already expected. I turned to my side and tried to get some shut eye, trying to clear my head...which was nearly impossible, but there was no harm in trying. While attempting to clear my thoughts, I felt the bed sag slightly from behind me. I turned and his lips crashed on my left cheek, causing it to redden and increase with heat.

"You are welcome. Go to sleep." He mumbled as he brushed a string of hair away from my face and climbed off the bed.

...And now, the left side of my face _really_ hurt. It actually began swelling again. Quintuple dammit.


	7. Punching, Running, And The Netherrealm

_**"Ama. Ama, get up."**_

I groaned and rolled over to the other side of my body. I heard an unsatisfied groan and felt my body shaking rather violently.

"Ama, I said get up!"

"Not now, Ma..." I groaned.

"Wha...Ama, get up. Seriously, this isn't funny."

"Noo..."

Smoke picked me up by my torso and shook me. "Ama. Ama!"

"I said nooo!" I droaned, my eyes still closed and drool escaping my lips.

He huffed and lay me down. Growing satisfied once I felt his body leave the bed, I snuggled deep in to the bed sheets and tried to allow myself to re-enter dream land. That's when I felt myself being abruptly dragged out of bed. My eyes shot open, I panicked as my body flew away from the warmth and comfort of the king sized bed and I saw Smoke pulling me without any hesitation or trouble.

"Smoke!" I screamed.

"Hush up, you'll wake everybody else up." He said cooly, still pulling me.

I grabbed on to the end of the bed and Smoke sighed. "Don't make this more difficult than it has to be, Ama."

"Too late! Release me!"

"Release the bed post and I'll consider."

"Never!"

"Alright, have it your way." Smoke replied as he raised his eyebrows.

What was he going to do? I felt something warm by my feet and as I looked down, I saw him concoct a growing cloud of smoke.

"What are you doing?!" I yowled.

"I told you to be quiet." Smoke hissed, his face suddenly turned intimidating and serious.

I settled down, but that didn't mean that I got up. Smoke watched me carefully, his patience obviously growing thin.

"What do you not understand, Ama. I told you to **get up**."

I raised my eyebrows. "That doesn't mean I'm going to."

In seconds, he forcefully pulled me by my feet from the bed. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground with a tremendous headache. My head must have hit the ground with a cracking amount of force.

"Ahh, damn..." I swore under my breath, trying to settle the roaring inside of my head.

"I had warned you," Smoke said indifferently, walking around me to fix the crinkled sheets. "I'm sorry to inform you that you need to get up early for your training sessions, your _majesty_."

I threw him a harsh glare and rubbed my head. "What...what time is it..."

"Three o'clock." He responded.

"...Come again?"

"You heard me. Breakfast will be given to you after your training session."

"Ugh...how long is the training session?" I stood on my feet, rubbed my head, and felt my stomach growling right on cue.

"Five hours."

"Fi! Five?!"

He smirked. "You complain a lot, Ama. And yes, you heard me correctly, five."

"What...what are we going to be doing for five hours?!"

"Uh. Training?" He said sarcastically, still fixing the crinkled sheets.

"Oh..." I blushed. The headache was still there, but it wasn't all too bad as it was before. Blasted Smoke and his super-human strength. Or..super enenra strength...or...gah, forget it.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Very. Then _you_ had to come along." I complained, crossing my arms and staring out the window.

"You know how easy life is," Smoke chuckled. "Besides, Sub-Zero hates late pupils. He punishes them with another hour of training sessions, and he doesn't make them easy."

"That doesn't surprise me, Smoke."

"Just saying, no need to be so defensive."

I huffed and walked over to the window. The moon was still high in the sky, beaming gracefully at me. I should have seen it as a blessing, but saw it as a bother instead. I had the whole day ahead of me and freaking Sub-Zero wanted to train me _now_, at three o'clock in the morning?!

"You may want to prepare yourself, Ama. Stretch, breathe, give yourself ample time to relax before training."

"Right, right." I took in a deep breath, held it, then released it after a couple of seconds. Then, I touched my toes and felt my back crack. Done. I straightened my body and watched Smoke as he fixed the bed.

"I didn't know you snored, Ama." Smoke sighed.

"I...I do?"

"Uh huh. Pretty loud too, you have no shame in it. You also seem to talk in your sleep, which is a phenomenon to me."

"You've...you've never heard anybody talk in their sleep?"

"No. It was...new for me. I thought that you were trying to converse with me, but you weren't. It was more than a little strange."

I giggled and blushed. "Well, that makes both of us. I didn't know that I snored _and_ talked in my sleep!"

He laughed and grabbed the pillow from the bed to fluff it up. However, he looked at it questionably.

"What is it? I asked.

"...Do you know that you..._drool_ in your sleep? This pillow is soaked."

"Oh cracker jacks, yeah. I knew that."

He laughed and threw the pillow to the ground like it were a dead animal. "No harm done, the custodians will worry about that. Did I mention that you soaked the _whole_ damn pillow?"

"Shut **up**, Smoke..." I blushed.

He laughed and patted my back. "Come, let's go."

"Uh...I don't have anything presentable to wear, Smoke. I can't train in a school uniform."

"Lesson number one, Ama. You deal with what you have and shut up about what you don't have."

"...Great."

"Let's go. He's been waiting for a while now."

"Wait, a while? What time did he get up?"

"Earlier than you did, that's for sure."

"How early are we talking here, Smoke."

"Two hours earlier than you, Ama." I could tell he was peeved at me just by hearing his short, clipped way of speaking. He obviously wasn't a morning person. Or maybe he was, but I just knocked it out of him.

He took my arm and opened the door quietly. "Are you ready?"

"Do I have a choice?" I asked, irritated.

"No. Let's go."

He pulled me alongside him just like he did yesterday. On our way to the training grounds, he was speed-walking once again, so I couldn't keep up. My sweat actually began to drop on to the ground, but he didn't seem to notice or care. He just didn't want me to get there late...whatever _late_ meant around here. The sun didn't show any sign of rising, the moon was still high in the sky; this was not late. This was disturbingly early.

"Keep up with me, Ama." Smoke scolded, his grip on my arm turning in to one that belonged to death itself.

"I would if you would just slow down." I complained.

"It doesn't take much to break your shy side, does it?" He asked, still tugging me along.

"You remind me of my younger brother. Only you're older. Way older. And way hotter."

"I'll take that as a compliment I suppose, considering what I told you last night about you being a long lost sister."

The more he pulled, the more my arm cried out for a breather. He was moving so quickly, his grip was so tight, I was sweating so profusely; this felt like my training, screw training with Sub-Zero.

After another fifty minutes of being dragged by Smoke and complaints spewing from my lips, we arrived at the training grounds. There was Sub-Zero at the center, his legs crossed in a criss-cross applesauce way, his hands resting on his knees, and his eyes closed. Smoke huffed and firmly placed me in front of him, both of his hands rested on my shoulders.

"We are here, Grandmaster. I apologize for being so late."

...Late? I looked up at Smoke, giving him a 'We aren't late, it's early! **Early I say!**' look.

Sub-Zero opened his eyes and looked at me. "It isn't your fault Smoke, but Ama's. She must learn to wake up at the necessary time, show up prepared and ready to learn."

My mouth dropped open. _What_? This is my first freaking day, Subby! Cut me some slack, man!

"I'll leave her to you then," Smoke bowed and crossed his right hand over his chest. "Be stealthful as the night."

Sub-Zero stood and returned the gesture. "And deadly as the dawn."

Smoke straightened, gave me a small wink, and was gone in a flash.

"Oh no..." I moaned as I threw my head up dramatically, closing my eyes.

Sub-Zero cleared his throat and I looked over at him, his fists clenched. "Let's get started."

I walked over to him unassumingly and lowered my head. I knew that he was towering over me, and it scared the bejeezus out of me.

"What do you know besides drawing, writing, and singing, Ama." Sub-Zero demanded.

My throat closed up and I played with my fingers. "N-N-N-N-N-Nothing."

"Hmmph."

...Oh jeez, what did that mean?!

"Then we start with the basics." He announced as he stood to my left.

"B-B-Bas-B-Basics?"

He nodded once and sat back down. "Sit."

I did as he said and watched as he had took his previous position. "Do as I'm doing."

I crossed my legs criss-cross applesauce and grunted in the process. I hated criss-cross applesauce...my legs always fell asleep. After doing what I could with that position, I rested my hands on my knees and looked over to him. He wasn't even _looking_ at me, how did I know that I was doing the position correctly?!

"Now, close your eyes and focus."

"...A-A-Am I positioned correctly?" I whimpered.

Sub-Zero looked at me and nodded in response. I smiled, briefly proud of myself.

"Focus." He commanded.

"Oop..." I blushed as I closed my eyes. Wait. What was I suppossed to focus on? Anything? Yeah, I'll just go with that. He didn't tell me what to focus on, so I could think about Edenia again. Right?

"Quiet your mind. I can hear your thoughts." Sub-Zero scolded.

...No...freaking...**way**. He could hear what I was thinking? How did he do that?! Wait, could all of the Lin Kuei members do that shit?!

"**Ama**." He boomed.

Oh...oops. I refocused my thoughts and the image of clear springs entered my mind. Was this the Edenian fountains that Smoke had told me about last night? Ooh, they were so pleasing to the mind's eye. The water jumped in different directions, sprouting from the main stream yet rejoining it after a couple of seconds only to have all of it land in the grand pool below. It was like a dance; the main flow was the man while the sprouting water was the female. The pool surrounding this one specific fountain was seemingly transparent, exotic fishes of purple and green swimming peacefully, their fins flowing along with the water. I smiled and lifted my head only to see the top of the fountain, somehow discolored. This discoloration didn't make it hideous or deformed...no, it made the fountain all the more attractive. I reached up, wanting to feel the water hit my skin, yearning for it's cool embrace to take me in.

Instead, my peaceful thoughts were inturrupted. I felt somebody staring at me, and that stare wasn't one of happiness. I opened my eyes slowly and turned my gaze to Sub-Zero; I was right, he was staring at me. Gawking at me, really.

"Uh...I'm...did I...I'm sorry..."

"You were thinking about the fountains in Edenia." Sub-Zero said mildly.

"Y-Yes..."

He nodded, his eyes broke their contact with my own. "Have you ever seen the fountains?"

"Only on t-t-the Mortal K-Kom-Ko-K-Kombat television s-s-s-s-s-shows..."

He chuckled slightly and I looked up at him in amazement. I had made him chuckle again! Thank God, I thought he was still angry with me over what happened last night. I was still pretty peeved at him, but...yeah, it doesn't matter.

"What...wh-what's so funny?" I asked.

His slight chuckle turned in to an actual laugh. I smiled awkwardly, unaware at what he was laughing at.

"Are you always so inarticulate?" He laughed.

"...W-W-W-Wha-What?"

He laughed harder and I kept the awkward smile going. "You stutter fluently, Ama."

A frown quickly replaced my bungling smile and and a big blush ran across my cheeks. He continued laughing melodiously, but I wasn't amused...nah, just embarrassed. Very, very embarrassed. I could tell that he was trying to calm himself down, and he managed to do so in just a couple of minutes. He saw my embarrassed state and looked away.

"I apologize."

"No, no, you're...you're fine." I squawked.

He sighed and stood gracefully. I climbed to my feet and flattened out my skirt.

"Now that your mind is somewhat cleared, let us begin with offense against the enemy. Punch me."

My eyes widened. "Come again?"

He stood firm, his fists clenched. "Punch me."

I really didn't know what to do here. He probably had something up his sleeve, but I wasn't sure what it was. I recalled my brief anger with him last night and I clenched my fists together.

"O-Okay..." I breathed out.

I really didn't know how to throw a punch, but according to Johnny Cage's moves, you just had to wind the arm back, allow the power to overtake you, and release. I winded my arm back, further than I had planned, and closed my eyes as I felt my fist crash against Sub-Zero's stomach.

Silence. My eyes were still closed, but I felt the tears of misery coming.

"_Ow_...ouch, owwie, ow, _ow_, ow, ow..."

I quickly removed my throbbing hand, my knuckles actually lost some skin and blood was beginning to sprout from them. Sub-Zero simply looked down at me as I tried to calm the throbbing by shaking my hand gently.

"Gah, that hurt!" I hissed as I threw back my head in agony and clutched my hand to my chest.

Sub-Zero sighed, took my hand in his, and cooled the burning pain. "Lesson number one, Ama. Do not overestimate your own abilities. There is always one who is stronger than you are, no matter how many often you train."

"...I thought lesson number one was to deal with what you did have a shut up about what you didn't have."

"Who told you that?"

"Smoke."

Sub-Zero rolled his eyes, obviously amused. He then removed his hand and the burning continued. "Again."

"...What? You want me to...do it again?"

"You need to build your strength."

"Yeah, but...that hurt."

"Of course, you didn't expect that you would feel pain in training?"

"...Well, yeah, but this is a little too much, don't you think? I mean look, my knuckles are _bleeding_."

"Welcome to the Mortal Kombat universe, Ama. Again."

I sighed and looked at my mangled fist. "Can I at least use my other hand?"

"Sure." He replied nonchalantly. "I'll have you alternate between your left and right hand."

"Alright..." I whimpered as I winded my other fist.

'Oh jeez Ama, don't do it. Whatever you do, don't do this!' My mind screamed.

I threw my fist with a slight grunt and yelped on impact. "Ahhh, dammit!"

"Don't show weakness. Again."

What the hell was this guy's stomach made out of, bricks and bowling balls mixed together?! Oh jeez, I didn't know if I could do this. It was taking it's toll on both of my hands, the other hand was also beginning to bleed if you were curious, and I gave out a frustrated sigh.

"What is the point of this?" I groaned.

"You must build up the strength in your fists. The use of the hands are the most common form of combat, and the most powerful if one knows how to use them."

"Okay, I get that, but you're like a brick. Could you even feel the punches I threw at you earlier?"

He didn't answer me, so I took that as a flat out, _'Hell no, woman, I've been training my entire life. You think I felt such a weak punch?'_

"Again." Sub-Zero grunted.

I whined and closed my eyes as I threw a weak punch at him. I opened one of my eyes and looked at him, seeing if he approved, but his eyes only expressed disappointment.

"That was weak, and you know it. Again, harder and better this time."

"...Faster and stronger too?" I grinned.

He obviously didn't get the reference, so I rolled my eyes and raised my mangled right fist.

After throwing more insubstantial punches, I felt like I was going to pass out. I needed water, sweat was leaving my body rapidly and every part of my body gleamed just like it did the other day. This was ridiculous...I didn't know how long I would last with this. The leather from his outfit only made the bleeding worse and it even caused tearing to my skin.

"How hard...d...do you...expect for...me to punch..." I wheezed.

He didn't respond. Before I threw another punch at him, he stopped it by grabbing my wrist. I looked up at him, praying that we were done. Oh God, have mercy-

"Run." He commanded.

...Oh, hell no.

"Uh, yeah...I can't run." I said, my lips making a grim line.

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, running isn't exactly my...thing. I can do push ups!" I smiled.

"Run." He repeated as he crossed his arms.

I felt my body sag. I was tired, bro! It's my first day, go easy on me!

"Don't make me repeat myself again, Ama-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going..." I grumbled as I slumped to one corner of the grounds. I inhaled and exhaled, looked straight ahead, and started jogging. Oh my gosh, my tiny breasts were bouncing all over the damn place, and they wouldn't have to if I were supplied with more suitable training clothes!

"Faster." Sub-Zero boomed.

I sighed and picked up the pace. Dots of sweat began to form and roll down my face, arms, legs...stupid physical activity.

"Faster!"

Ugh, when I returned home, I swore that I would perform every fatality on Sub-Zero. I picked up more speed, more than I thought I was capable of, and ran around the rather large training grounds more than twice. The third time around, my legs felt like jello and I looked over at Sub-Zero, begging him in my mind to get me to stop.

"Enough. You are done for now."

With that, I collapsed on the ground, heaving every bit of air I could take in. I heard Sub-Zero's footsteps approach me and before I knew it, a large arm brought me to my feet. I looked up at him and was ecstatic when I saw that he was holding a water bottle.

"Very good, Ama. I will see you after breakfast. We will continue our training then."

He gently handed me the bottle and left the training grounds without another word. Smoke entered right on cue and rushed over to me when he saw that I almost collapsed again.

"Whoa, whoa, steady," He said as he grabbed me. "Can I ask you how it went, or-"

"Shut...up...Smoke..." I coughed.

He chuckled and took the bottle from me.

"Hey-" I whispered, reaching for it.

"Calm down, I'm not going to drink any of it. Lean back."

I did as he said...I was too tired to argue. He put his hand behind my head and gently poured the water in to my mouth. I closed my eyes and took the water like a little hampster, sipping and gulping over and over again. When he removed the bottle, I had felt like I had enough...how did he know?

"Come. I'll prepare a bath for you." He said smoothly as he grabbed my waist with one hand and slung my arm around his neck.

We arrived at his room and he told me to lay on the pillows so that I wouldn't get the bed all wet and soggy. I obeyed and threw myself on the pillows while he was preparing a bubble bath for me. Get that, a bubble bath. Does Smoke from Mortal Kombat ever prepare a bubble bath for any of _you_? Yeah, didn't think so!

I heard the water running and closed my eyes just imagining it form a pool, waiting for me to submerge in it. My thoughts then began to travel to the fountains in Edenia. Ugh, I wanted to go there so badly...maybe now I could open a portal to Edenia...there was no harm in trying. I stood up and began to think of the lush surroundings that Edenia had to offer. The fountains were my main key point; there were no fountains in the Netherrealm that I had seen from the games, and even if there were, they were either fountains of lava or fountains of blood.

"Focus..." I whispered to myself. The waterfalls of Edenia entered my mind and I smiled as I heard the water from the bathroom continue to run in to the tub, only making the image more realistic. I giggled as I saw little children dancing, laughing, playing by their houses or by the streams that led to the main palace walls. I imagined the palace itself, glowing under the Edenian sun...how perfect it was.

"Okay." I sighed. I opened my eyes and saw the crimson portal again.

"What the holy-" I raged as I stormed towards the portal. "How did this happen?!"

I groaned and crossed my arms. Stupid Netherrealm portal, getting in the way of my Edenian visions. I stared at the portal and began to notice how alluring the thing was. It was swirling and flicking off orange, gold, and yellow sparks. Was this how it was with all portals? I reached out to it like a moth to a flame, and everything went black.

"Uggnnnhh..." I groaned. My eyesight began to get blurry, not from tears, but by the fact that I hit the ground with a tremendous amount of force. It was so weird to me...why was the ground so hot? Did Smoke have heating on his floors or something?

"S-Smoke?" I called out.

No answer. Uh oh.

"Smoke?!" I called again, panicked and confused. I automatically jumped to my feet and looked around...this wasn't Smoke's room. Why were there hanging corpses from spikes? Why was it so hot?! Where was I?!

"Smoke, this isn't funny!" I yelped, looking around and trying to take in my surroundings.

**"Who are you."**

My head spun and I saw a man dressed in black and gold attire, his fists clenched against his palms tightly, the anger in his pupil-less eyes more menacing than any demon...why did he look so familiar to me...OH SEXTUPLE DAMMIT. _**Scorpion?!**_


	8. Moment of Vulnerability

**_"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't annihilate you."_**

Oh my gosh, Scorpion was talking to me. I bit my lip and tried to keep from smiling because I knew that he'd probably stab me. His arms were crossed, which only terrified me but also intrigued me. He was so freaking...ahhh jeez, I just wanted to poke him.

**"Speak!"** He shouted.

I jumped in fear because of the power in his demonic voice, closed my eyes, and looked down. Holy goodness, I was in trouble. Scorpion being incredibly sexy didn't mean that he was incredibly charming. I put my hands behind my back and took a small step away from him. This seemed to piss him off even more because the next thing I felt were his fingers wrapping around my neck.

"Aah-" I managed to breathe out before realizing that his face was just a bare inch away from mine.

"How did you **get** here." He hissed, his grip on my neck tightening.

I attempted to pry his hands off of me because I needed air. I wasn't getting what I needed. I gulped and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to respond but couldn't because the guy was crushing my windpipe! He shook me rather violently and a small yelp managed to escape my throat. The next thing I felt was something sharp against my left cheek.

"P...Please..." I choked out, clawing at his hand. "C...can't...breathe..."

He didn't seem to give a damn, which really scared the shit out of me. He only tightened his grip on my neck and that's when I started to see tiny black spots. If he didn't let go, I would pass out, and the Oni would probably get a poor but acceptable meal out of me.

"S...Sc...Scor...Scorpi...Scorpion..." I gasped pleadingly.

His angered expression relaxed slightly, then only increased as I felt the tip of the sharp object puncture itself in to my right cheek.

"How do you know my name. **TALK!**"

He shook me and I squeaked like a defenseless mouse. _'I would tell you, but you're slowly killing me!' _

The black dots were looking pretty inviting as they got bigger and bigger. My eyesight began to get unclear and I felt myself slowly begin to drift off. Before I could do that however, he removed his hand from my neck and just allowed the rest of my body to slump to the cracked, humid ground. I heard a thick sigh escape from him and after several minutes, my body was slung carelessly over his shoulder, his hand on my back to keep me balanced. He was walking...but where to? I just closed my eyes, allowed my blood to rush to my head, and slept. Before I could actually get some decent shut eye however, I felt my body hit the rough terrain. Too weak to actually do anything about it, I groaned and began to cough rather violently. Now that his death grip had been released, I just started to notice that I could breathe again.

_'Smoke...Sub-Zero...'_ My mind weakly wandered to them, wondering what they were doing now...Smoke should come looking for me, right? He was in the bathroom, and although he had a big room that didn't mean that he couldn't hear the little things. What about Sub-Zero? I know that he sent this, _'I don't care about you'_ vibe, but I had that feeling that he was lying to himself. I had this feeling inside me where whenever I was in danger, he would jump up and save me.

_'I need you now...' _ My mind chanted, I closed my eyes hoping that they would somehow hear me.

Was I _happy_ to see Scorpion? Hell yes. Do you recall how I mentioned that he _scared_ me more than Shao Kahn did? You should.

I heard his footsteps approach me and I froze. What was he going to do...

"Get up." He demanded.

I tried to use all the muscles in my body to lift myself up, but they rendered useless. I grunted as I brought myself to my knees, but it seemed that was the furthest I could go. Scorpion glared harshly at me and I lowered my head in shame.

"How did you get here." He demanded.

I gently massaged my throat and gulped a few times just so that I could reply to him. But I had to think; Scorpion hated Sub-Zero. If I told him that I was with Sub-Zero, then he wouldn't help me back to the Lin Kuei Palace. If I told him that I was with Smoke, he probably wouldn't care and would assist me if I begged.

"W-With S-Smoke..." I rasped and rubbed my throat a little bit more.

He didn't respond. Was that a good thing, or-

"He is a Lin Kuei assassin."

...Oh dammit, would it have been better if I had just lied to him? Nah, he would have found out eventually and slowly finish me off once he did. I watched him as he turned his back to me, a slight scoff was what I heard from him. He then began to walk away from me and I stayed on my knees, confused out of my mind.

"Wh...where are you...going...?" I tried to call out. Dang, did he really destroy my windpipe? It hurt like hell!

He continued walking, completely ignoring me. I frowned and forced myself to my feet. After a minute of adjusting, I jogged towards him. When I finally caught up with him, I reached out and grabbed his arm.

"W-Wait..." I pleaded with a clearer tone.

He stopped and stared angrily at me. "You are not my responsibility. Leave me be."

My eyes widened as I looked at him, searching for some kind of compassion, mercy, kindness...it just wasn't there. I leaned my head against his arm and allowed my tears to blind me. What...what was happening to me? I felt something wet slide down my right cheek...I gasped and gently touched it.

_'No...' _

I released Scorpion's arm and he turned as I fell to my knees. The wet substance began to roll down my left cheek and I tried to wipe it away as quickly as possible.

_'My...my weakness...'_

Scorpion scoffed and continued walking. I tried to watch him as he got further and further away from me, but the wet reality blinded me.

_'I'm...I'm crying...'_

I curled up and put my hands to my face to cover all showcases of my weakness, my kryptonite. I began to sob quite audibly, and so much to the point where I didn't notice the lurking dangers. I heard a faint growl behind me, but didn't take in to consideration that anything would want to eat me. In a second, I felt rough hands grab me by my shirt and drag me through the rough Netherrealm terrain.

"Gah, hey!" Was all I could get out because the pain of being dragged only made more tears leak through my eyes, making speech nearly impossible.

I managed to catch a glimpse of the figure that was dragging me. Tall, emaciated, few traces of hair on it's head and obviously no shower in _forever_...

My eyes grew as I realized that I was being dragged by an Oni. Great, the one thing I wanted to get away from. It's sharp claws dug in to my back so that it's grip on me wouldn't somehow slip away and I screamed from the intense pain.

"Smoke! Sub-Zero! Somebody!" I screeched as loud as I could, the pressure from my practically crushed windpipe making it harder to breathe afterwards.

The Oni stopped and slapped me grimly on the right side of my face. I gasped and screamed when it tried to pry it's fastened claws from my face. Blood...my blood...was all over the place. I felt lightheaded, dizzy, sluggish. I was just about to pass out again before I heard the most powerful bellow:

**"GET OVER HERE!"**

I heard a sickening blow to the Oni's chest and it released me. My eyes barely managed to stay open as I witness Scorpion take out his sword and in his rage slice the Oni's torso in half, decapitate it, kick away it's torso, and slice the head in half as it was in the air with exact precision. Watching his fatality made me go to fangirl mode, but I couldn't help but be a little hysterical. He had just done his fatality in front of me and it was more than a little traumatizing.

He turned towards me and I slowly gulped. So many things ran through my mind as his soulless eyes bore down in to my own, but what brought me back to reality was the fact that I was bleeding, and not just a light bleeding like while I was training with Sub-Zero; no, it was more of a, _'You're going to die if you don't get any sort of medical attention __**now**__' _sort of bleeding.

"S...Somebody..." I whispered, raising my hand slightly. "H...help m...me..."

With that, everything started to fade away.


	9. Another Trainer?

_**"No, no, no, no, no. Ama?"**_

My eyes remained closed...somehow, I couldn't open them. Who was talking to me?

"Ama, you'll...alright, okay? Don't..."

...What? Was something wrong with my hearing? I couldn't make out who was talking and I couldn't make out the last part of his or her sentence. Oh jeez, was I going deaf?!

"Ama...stay with...!"

Was I dying...? Was this death?! I panicked and felt a slight tingle of adrenaline in my arms...wait, this wasn't death. I was still alive...right?

"S...Sm...Smoke..." I whispered, my throat incredibly dry and still hurting from Scorpion's grip. I felt my body being scooped in to strong arms, my head gently being cradled against a warm, soothing chest.

"I'm here, Ama. You're alright now."

I gave off a slight grin and slightly snuggled my head against his chest. I felt like I was being rocked back and forth once again and I gave off a sweet smile.

**"Why did you take her." **Sub-Zero boomed.

...Uh oh.

**"I didn't, Lin Kuei. She came through a portal!"**

...Was that Scorpion? Why was he here?!

"Obviously a portal _**you**_ dragged her through." Sub-Zero sneered.

"For the _**last**_ time, I had **nothing** to do with her entering the Netherrealm!" Scorpion roared.

"Yeah? Explain the damages on her neck. On her right cheek! On her back!" Sub-Zero hollered.

I groaned from all the shouting. "P...please...stop..."

There was a nice, long silence. Smoke was still holding my body against his, his gentle heartbeat setting me at peace with the long, uneasy tension that filled the room.

"Why don't you ask the girl what happened?" Scorpion asked impatiently.

"She is in a shock. You expect for me to ask her questions while she's in a traumatic state?!"

I opened my eyes again and caught a glimpse of Scorpion punching Sub-Zero.

"Hey!" Smoke shouted.

His voice vibrated through my body and I groaned silently, trying not to be a bother to everybody else by expressing my pain and annoyance. Smoke realized how loud his voice was and he gently cooed to me, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry Ama. Shhh, shhh, I'm here. I won't leave you, alright? You _can't_ leave me, alright?"

I whimpered and cuddled against his chest even more. He was malleable, warm...my own ivory tower. I didn't know how I got here, where I was even...but just knowing that Smoke was there consoled me more than I had ever imagined.

"She's tired. She has lost a lot of blood, and she's been through a lot for just two days. Quiet down, or so help me, your asses will be hanging upside down from the bells of the palace." Smoke scolded.

Oh, so that's where I was, back at the Lin Kuei Palace...a small part of me wondered if that was a good thing, or if I would get in to some serious trouble with Subby and Smoke. Sub-Zero sighed and walked over to me. He gently put his hand on my arm, and I felt the chilly sensation running down.

"How is she." He asked firmly.

"She's awake. She should be up and at em' tomorrow morning." Smoke replied with the same firm tone.

He removed his hand and I slowly wrapped my arm around Smoke's neck. Sub-Zero then turned to Scorpion slowly and deliberately.

"How did she get the bruises on her neck."

Scorpion defiantly crossed his arms. I didn't hear a response from him...was he ashamed of nearly choking me to death?

"Why are her knuckles bleeding and torn." Scorpion retorted.

"I asked you a question first Spectre, and I expect for it to be answered." Sub-Zero glared. "You are on my land, and I expect for you to answer me! Why are there bruises on her neck?!"

Scorpion kept his contact with Sub-Zero and menacingly tilted his head to one side.

"I choked her."

It was quick, but I felt Smoke gently but quickly release me from his embrace and storm towards Scorpion.

"Smoke!" Sub-Zero cried out.

Smoke roughly pinned Scorpion to the ground and began to throw a flurry of punches. Scorpion roared and kicked Smoke off of him.

"You bastard, you sorry son of a bitch!" Smoke barked.

Scorpion jumped in to his fighting stance, his gaze focused on his prey: Smoke. I felt the undeniable strain between the two and immediately jumped up from where I was laying.

"No, no..." I whispered, my legs wobbly and my knees knocking against one another.

"Ama, stay down." Smoke demanded as he entered his fighting stance, smoke emitting from his hands with a frightening amount of power.

"P...please...no..." I pleaded as I put my cold, clammy hands on Smoke's arm. "I...I'm alright..."

Scorpion's gaze then turned to me and Sub-Zero pulled me towards him.

"Ama, stay with me." Sub-Zero said gently as he kept his steady hands on my shoulders.

"S...stop them..." I gasped frantically, turning around and clawing at Sub-Zero's attire. "They'll...kill one ano...another..."

Sub-Zero looked at Scorpion and Smoke. He closed his eyes and a quick flick of his wrist eliminated Smoke's growing cloud. I turned and watched the phenomenon, shocked with wonder on how he did that.

"Enough." Sub-Zero commanded.

The two warriors glared harshly at one another and Smoke walked over to me. He took me in to his embrace once again and I closed my eyes, happy to be enfolded in his arms. Sub-Zero sighed and rubbed his temples while Scorpion seemed to have trouble controlling the rage that was within him.

"Alright. Ama, are you feeling well enough to answer questions?" Sub-Zero asked gently.

"No-" Smoke began. I gently nodded against his chest and slowly pushed him away from me, determined to stand on my own two feet.

"Y...yes..." I whispered.

Sub-Zero gently took my hand in his own and led me towards the large couch that I was laying on earlier. He told me to sit, and I did as he said without any complaints. He bent down and placed his hand over my own.

"What happened to you, Ama." He asked steadily, determined to figure out why I looked so...unpleasant.

I gulped and tried to clear my throat but winced from the pain. The slight power in my voice seemed to surprise both Sub-Zero and Smoke, even myself. "I...I tried to activate the portal to Edenia again. I...I-I was unsuccessful...and the portal to the Netherrealm a-at-attracted me. I touched it and..."

"...You were transported to the Netherrealm." Smoke finished.

I nodded and bowed my head. "I...I'm sorry for causing so much t-tro-trouble..."

Sub-Zero paused. He then stood, removed his hand from mine and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I was looking everywhere for you, Ama." Smoke said as he also crossed his arms. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

I kept my head bowed and sniffed. "I...I-"

"What happened while you were there, Ama." Sub-Zero asked sternly.

"I...I ran in to Scor...Scor...Scorpion..." I gulped.

Scorpion gave me steady glare. I glanced up at him and in a slight moment of defiance, returned his glare. What could he do, Smoke and Sub-Zero were right there.

"What happened when you ran in to him?" Smoke asked.

"He asked me who I was...what I was doing there..."

"Did he give you time to respond?" Sub-Zero asked.

"...I wouldn't...I couldn't...I was so...awestruck by seeing him that...I..."

I played with my fingers and began to blush. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Scorpion raising his eyebrow.

"Is that why he choked you? Because you...wouldn't respond?!" Smoke demanded.

I nodded and Smoke seemed to have trouble controlling himself. Sub-Zero put his hand on Smoke's back, but even then, he had trouble calming down.

"Smoke. Restrain yourself, it has already happened and there is nothing we can do about it. We can only hear what she has experienced"

"I know..." Smoke said dryly. "But I wasn't there with her, to help her...I should have...I should have kept my eyes on her..."

My eyes began to water and I wanted to run towards him, hold him in my arms and scream to him that he has shown more care for me than I was used to. I wanted to express to him that he didn't have to feel bad, that it was my fault! But I just sat there and allowed for him to feel like a failure. Damn, I was a_ bitch_.

"What else happened." Sub-Zero asked.

"...He carried me somewhere...I wasn't sure where...and then after he set me down, he walked away. I wasn't sure where he was going, and I tried to express to him that I...I needed to follow him..." I said surprisingly clearly. "I wasn't sure where I was and I just...I _needed_ him."

Scorpion's harsh glare turned in to a steady gaze. Not one of infatuation, but of slight nosiness. I could tell that he was trying to mask it by a casual frown, but I could see right through it. Was it easier to look through a dead man's eyes than the eyes of a man who possesses temporary life?

I blushed from my thoughts and shook my head slightly. "Afterwards, I was attacked by an Oni and...and Scorpion...he...well...he saved me..."

Scorpion scoffed and looked away from me. Smoke looked at Scorpion slowly, trying to make sense of it all.

"Wait, you..." Smoke began.

Scorpion looked back at me, his all too pleasant glare had returned. Sub-Zero raised his eyebrow and asked, "Are you...sure?"

I nodded, quite positive. "Yeah. I remember him yelling, 'GET OVER HERE!'"

Scorpion threw me a bitter glare and I giggled. Smoke gave a small chuckle while Sub-Zero grinned.

"Is that where the scratches on your face and back came from?" Sub-Zero asked.

I nodded quickly. "I also watched him kill the Oni."

The temporary humor was gone. I looked around and lowered my head slowly.

"You...you watched him...perform a fatality?" Sub-Zero asked slowly.

I nodded slowly. "Yes..."

Sub-Zero threw the nastiest glare at Scorpion; nasty enough to scare me. "You performed a fatality in front of her?!"

Scorpion looked indifferent from it. He didn't seem to care that he had traumatized me, but why did that not surprise me?

"Are you an idiot, she's not from this universe and you performed a _fatality in front of her_?!" Sub-Zero hollered.

"What does it matter, she's going to see plenty of fatalities anyhow!" Scorpion yelled.

"It matters because _she's not from here_!"

"That's not my problem, _Lin Kuei_!"

"Shut up!" Smoke bellowed.

...Were they all arguing for my sake? It felt nice, but it kinda bothered me. First off, being the center of attention was never really my thing, and secondly, it was bothersome to know that I was the center of their troubles, no matter how big or small I seemed. I gently rubbed my throat and watched them...what else could I do?

"You are impossible, Spectre." Sub-Zero hissed.

"You're one to talk-" Scorpion began.

There was a quick flash that immediately caught my attention. I looked up and saw a figure surrounded by lightening and flashes of light blue. Was it-

"Raiden...?" Sub-Zero whispered.

Yup, I was right. After all of the flashes and sparks subsided, there stood Raiden, proud and graceful. Sub-Zero and Smoke bowed in acknowledgement of him, but Scorpion stood just as tall and proud as Raiden did. I bowed my head slightly and closed my eyes.

"Ama," Raiden began. "I hear that you have wandered off in to the Netherrealm without an escort. Do you consider me a fool and simply choose not to obey my commands?"

A silent shard went through my heart and I lowered my head even more. Wow, I made a mistake...don't be so hard on me...

"I...I-I-I didn't think that touching the portal would transport me to the realm, L-Lor-Lord Raiden-"

"You didn't think, that was the problem." He scolded.

I tried to come back with something else, something that would redeem myself, but I realized that it was hopeless and lowered my head even _more_. Raiden then turned to Scorpion and crossed his arms.

"And you. Why would you deliberately hurt somebody who is not of this universe?"

Scorpion didn't answer. He silently huffed and glared harshly at Raiden. "What does it matter."

His words only made the silent shard enter further in to my heart. Jeez Scorpion, so much for being incredibly blunt.

"You acted on impulse," Raiden said. "and that is not acceptable. You knew nothing about who she was, what she was doing there-"

"It doesn't concern me." Scorpion said nonchalantly.

"So why did you attack her if she meant nothing?" Raiden quickly countered.

Scorpion remained silent. With a grunt, he spoke, "I mistook her for an enemy."

...Gee, thanks Scorpion. I rolled my eyes and played with clumps of my hair.

"Now that she is just an ordinary girl who just so happened to stumble in to the Netherrealm, she means nothing?" Raiden asked.

"Precisely." Scorpion retorted.

"Not anymore." Raiden smirked.

I threw Raiden curious look and so did Sub-Zero. Raiden put his hand out in my direction and I gradually grabbed it. He pulled me towards Scorpion and I blushed as my body slightly collided with his.

"You will also be training her as well." Raiden smiled.

"**WHAT?!**" Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and I all shouted in unison.

"You heard me right. The power of fire and ice are immense, two elements battling over their rightful places. Though I doubt that Ama holds such ability as to gain control over any element, she has the will and drive to protect herself and those around her."

Raiden turned to Sub-Zero and continued. "With your stern yet gentle personality, you will be able to teach her how to bring an enemy close to death, but also have the strength of will to either kill them softly and quickly, or brutally and unmercifully. Perhaps not even kill them at all."

Sub-Zero pondered Raiden's words and gave a small nod. Raiden then turned to the enraged Scorpion and chuckled softly. "Your rage and inner fire are certainly too much for Ama. But you fight with a purpose, you have goals and requirements which you enforce deeply upon yourself. You will show her such desire and rekindle her flame whenever she feels discouraged."

Scorpion threw me a nasty stare and I looked away. Dang, what was with him and glaring at me? I mean, I knew that he held this badass exterior which I had always greatly admired, but still...I could tell that it would take a while for us to get a long...and when I say a while, I mean a while. Like, me taking a math test a while.

"So, both Sub-Zero and Scorpion will be training Ama?" Smoke asked.

"Precisely. She will be able to learn much with these two warriors. We may as well give her _something_ to do while the Elder Gods ponder why she must stay."

Raiden raised his arm and before teleporting, looked at me. "Ama."

"Y...yes?"

"Don't touch any more portals. We can all see what happened to you while you were in the Netherrealm, I would hate to have to see what would happen to you if you landed in Outworld unattended."

I sighed and blushed with embarrassment. Smoke walked toward me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, "Don't worry, Lord Raiden. I will personally ensure her safety."

With that, Raiden vanished in a flash of lightening. Smoke sighed and turned me around.

"Don't _ever_ do that again, do you hear me? You were lucky to even get out of there alive, do you know what would have happened if the Spectre _hadn't_ brought you out of there?"

Smoke's speech was strong, yet trembling. I found it sweet how a creature so dangerous, so mysterious, could somehow care so much for me. I released a small smile and he embraced me.

"I'm keeping my eye on you from now on." Smoke whispered.

My eyes widened slightly. "Even when I use the potty?"

He smirked and held me tighter. "You won't even know I'm there."

I giggled and closed my eyes. I totally forgot about Sub-Zero and Scorpion, who continued to argue.

"I will continue to train her." Sub-Zero hissed.

"No. The faster she is trained by my hand, the faster I will be able to get rid of her!" Scorpion snapped.

"You will just have to wait then because I started training her from the beginning!"

"I will do no such thing!"

"Too bad, Raiden approached me first!"

...Here were my favorite male characters in the game...acting like seven year olds. I smiled and released Smoke.

"I don't give a damn in Raiden approached you first, Lin Kuei! My ways of fighting are skilled, even more so than you!"

"Ex...Excuse me..."

Both of them looked down at me and I blushed from their sudden turn of attention.

"I...I don't want either of you fighting...ho...how about this...Sub-Zero, you c-ca-can train me one day, and S...Sc...Scor...Scorpion c-c-ca-can train me...the next day?"

Scorpion looked annoyed. "Can you not speak clearly?"

My face was _burning_. Efforts on composing myself were totally in vain.

"Sub-Zero trains her one day, Scorpion trains her the next day. Deal?" Smoke clarified.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion looked at one another, then back at me.

"...I suppose it couldn't hurt." Sub-Zero sighed, putting his hand behind his head.

"Of course not. She'll be an expert before you know it." Smoke encouraged.

"Wait..."

All of them looked at me.

"Who...who is going to train me first...?"

Sub-Zero looked at Scorpion and Scorpion at Sub-Zero.

"I have started her training, we shall resume her training."

"No," Scorpion began. "She has already had her training session with you, it is my turn!"

"You just _had_ to ask that, didn't you?" Smoke smiled towards me.

"I don't think so Spectre, we weren't finished training!"

"Then that's just too damn bad, it's my turn!"

What the hell was I, a toy?

"**Hey!**" I shouted. Which was a bad decision by the way, my throat still hadn't fully recovered.

The two looked at me again, annoyed that I had interfered with their childish discussion.

"...Sub-Zero, I have already trained with you." I began.

"But-" Sub-Zero started.

"Hey, not done." I said as I raised my hand to quiet him. "I'm going to train with Scorpion tomorrow, and the next day, you can train me for as _long_ as you want. Agreed?"

Sub-Zero stared at me and sighed. "Agreed."

I looked at Scorpion, threw my arms up, and gave him a nice geeky smile. "I'm all yours tomorrow!"

Scorpion blinked. Did he not understand what I meant?

"W...Where will we train?" I asked softly, lowering my arms.

He didn't respond. Instead, he walked past me, shoving me in the process. Without another word or signal of acknowledgment, he stormed past the doors of Sub-Zero's office.

"Huh. I wonder if he knows where he's going." Smoke sighed.


	10. Gummy Bears And Dogs

**_Spending the next few minutes with Sub-Zero and Smoke weren't necessarily...fun._**

Sub-Zero scolded me further about touching the portal to the Netherrealm and Smoke joined him. I sat there and accepted their lecture, but they failed to realize that I hadn't eaten. All day. My stomach was screaming,

'Feed me, feed me!' the entire time.

"Do you understand how dangerous it is to venture off on your own here?" Sub-Zero asked gruffly.

"Uh huh..." I nodded, my stomach also replied with a small grumble.

"You deliberately disobeyed what has been asked of you." Smoke scolded.

"I...I know..." I sighed.

"This isn't a game, Ama. It may seem like it to you, but you can't restart anything here. It is what it is." Sub-Zero sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "You are dismissed."

I stood and bowed respectfully. Smoke put out his arm and I hooked my arm around his before we walked out of Sub-Zero's office. I looked down at his feet and closed my eyes. Boy, did I learn _my_ lesson. I just wanted to express to Sub-Zero, Smoke, even Scorpion, that it was all a misunderstanding. I didn't know that I would be sucked through the portal even if I touched a small part of it, but I had learned from it and I guess that was all that mattered.

"Let's get you something to eat. Your stomach was grumbling pretty loudly in there." Smoke smiled.

"Oh...you...noticed?" I asked.

"It was pretty noticable. Don't worry, I'll make sure that you are fed until you are content."

...This guy...was awesome. I blushed and cuddled against his arm.

"You know what?" I asked him, slightly stroking the veins on his arms.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm scared."

He was silent. He seemed to ponder why I was afraid in his mind, so I giggled a bit. He looked down at me, worried.

"What, what are you scared of?"

"Training with Scorpion. He doesn't seem very tolerant of me..."

Smoke sighed and ruffled my hair with his other hand. "There's nothing to be worried about. Scorpion is just...well...uh...he's...he can be very...uhm-"

"You don't have to sugarcoat how he acts, Smoke."

"I know that. I'm just trying to help you. But there's not much to say about the Specter other than he knows what he's doing when he fights. According to legend, his skill surpassed all of his clansmen."

"That doesn't surprise me, he's amazing when he fights. He's quick, fierce, gets straight to the punch you know? And he doesn't allow for emotion to take any part of him while he is in battle...it's something to admire..." I blushed.

"Eeehm." Smoke cleared his throat.

"What?" I asked.

"You seem to have forgotten me in that compliment." Smoke smiled.

I giggled and playfully shoved him. "You wish."

"What, am I not fierce? Quick? Agile?"

"Yeah, but not as much as Scorpion!"

"Oh yeah?" He smirked.

What happened next surprised me. He unhooked my arm from his and put his hands together. Then, I couldn't see him anymore.

"Smoke?" I called out.

He suddenly took me in to his arms bridal style and everything was a blur. The next thing I knew, we were in his bedroom. I blinked quickly and he set me down gently before becoming fully visible. He gave a really cute, boyish grin and put his hands on his hips. "You want to say that again?"

I rolled my eyes. "Eh. It was okay I guess. Six out of ten."

"Six out of...you're terrible."

I shrugged and giggled as he grabbed me and turned me upside down.

"Smoke, you perv! Put me down and stop looking at my undies!"

"Why the hell do you have imprinted flowers on your undergarments anyhow?" He asked.

"Smoke, put me down or so help me, I'll scream!"

"No you won't."

"Oh yeah?! You wanna test me?!"

"You can't scream. You are only going to irritate your throat further. I'm surprised you've been able to talk so far, but your voice doesn't sound normal."

"Oh yeah, well I..." Dammit, he was right. "At least put me down and feed me!"

"Alright, alright," He sighed as he flipped me right side up and placed me on the floor. "Let's get you something to eat."

Smoke walked to a wall and quickly dialed a number. I sat on Smoke's bed and massaged my throat.

"Yes, bring the ultimate special. Hold on. Ama, drink?"

"Yes please."

"Yes. Uh huh. Ama, what kind?"

"I don't know...uh...water-"

"Water. Yeah. No, no carbonation. Cut the meat in to bitesize pieces. Right. Wait. Ama, what do you want for dessert?"

"Uh...it doesn't...matter-"

"Oreo pie."

My eyes bulged. Oreo pie was one of my favorite desserts...how the hell did he know that?!

"Come as soon as possible. Thank you."

Smoke dialed a few more numbers before walking over to me. "Dinner will be served in a few moments. Can you wait?"

My stomach replied for me with a loud, embarrassing growl. I blushed and tried to cover the moans as best as I could, but it only made the groans louder. Smoke laughed, opened a small cubby door, and tossed me a small bag. I looked at it and tried to make sense of it.

"Gummy bears. I usually pig out on them when I'm desperate for food." He smiled.

"You...you get desperate for food?" I asked, staring at the bag intently.

"Yes, is that so hard to believe?" He leaned against a wall and pushed his beautiful smoky hair back.

"Uh, a little...I couldn't imagine _you_ desperate for food, you know?"

"Well, there are times when I train until very late at night and dinner is served while I train. All of us eat at the same time, if you haven't already noticed."

"No, no I haven't!" I blushed.

"Calm down, now you know." Smoke sighed.

"Wait, why haven't I eaten with everybody else?!" I shouted.

"Because you fail to realize that you have breasts. Everybody else here has a p-"

"Okay, I get it!"

Smoke smirked and sat on the bed. "Eat."

I tore open the bag and began to humbly eat one gummy bear. I was shocked when I came to the realization that it wasn't like any other gummy bear that I have ever tasted...it oozed a gummy juice. It was_ so_ good and undeniably syrupy that I decided to eat another. And another. Before I knew it, half of the bag was gone.

"Alright, enough. I don't want you ruining your appetite, there is a huge feast being prepared for you as we speak."

I dropped the bag and wiped my mouth with my arm. "Sorry, I'm just...I'm hungry, alright?"

"I understand that, but...you ate half of my gummy bears. I love those things and you ate half of them...do you know how hard it is to get gummy bears? I have to leave the palace and-"

"Wait, you leave this place just to get...gummy bears?" I asked slowly.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Are those your favorite candies?!" I asked excitedly.

He looked around and nodded again. I giggled and clapped my hands together softly, a sign of my fangirl mode turned on. "That is so adorable, you like gummy bears!"

He raised an eyebrow as I continued to giggle. "Why is that so...fascinating?"

"Because you like gummy bears!" I giggled, my face turning red.

Smoke gave me a, _'What the hell is wrong with you?'_ look, but I didn't care. I found it absolutely adorable that he liked gummy bears, and if I ever returned home, I would eat gummy bears whenever I played as Smoke.

"I don't understand how that is something to laugh about..." Smoke said uneasily.

I finally managed to settle down, my face still red and the adrenaline still pumping rather quickly. Smoke raised his eyebrow at me and I flashed him the biggest smile I could. He smirked and rolled his eyes. "Weirdo."

"I know you are, but what am I?" I asked playfully.

He chuckled and suddenly turned in to a wisp of smoke. I gasped and looked around, watching his now hazy figure floating above me.

"Sm...Smoke?"

The wisp of smoke rushed towards me and I yelped as it swooped me off my feet.

"Smoke, put me down!"

The big cloud then began to break apart and I felt a tickling sensation under my armpits. I giggled uncontrollably, trying to swat away the smoke at the same time.

"Smoke! Hahaha, stop! Can't breathe!"

After I said that, the tickling sensation stopped, but I was still in the air. "Now, put me down!"

The smoky cloud floated towards the bed and plopped me on it. Smoke then reappeared and smiled. "You are an interesting young woman."

I blushed and fixed my hair pin. "You are an annoying pain in the back of my neck."

He raised his eyebrows and replied. "Oh yeah? Just for that, I'll be hiding all of _my_ gummy bears and I will personally make sure that you don't find them."

"Not the gummies!" I giggled.

"That's right. And I know _just_ where to hide them."

My mind automatically went in to climacteric mode. His room was huge, there was no doubt about that. Would he hide it under his mattress? No, they'd be squished. In one of his cubbies? No, that would be too easy for me to find. Wait, would he even hide it in his room?

My eyes widened and I looked at Smoke, who was smirking. "You _wouldn't_."

"I would."

I squinted my eyes and pointed my index finger at him. "The gummies shall be mine."

"Pssh, you wish."

I lowered my arm. "We were thinking of the same place, right?"

"Sub-Zero's office."

"...How did we do that?"

"Great minds think alike."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "I accept the challenge."

There was then a loud knock on the door, which startled me and caused my seemingly strong appearance to return to its weak, humble state. Smoke laughed and opened the door. Just as before, there was a large tray of food...only there were two this time.

"Master Smoke, your...food..."

The young kitchen boy stared at me with hungry eyes and I stared back at him, annoyed out of my mind. Smoke grabbed the two trays and glared at the boy. "You are dismissed."

The boy smiled sheepishly at me and I blinked rapidly. Was...was he attracted to me? If he was, he would be the first boy who ever found me attractive...I began sweating and tried to keep my cool. The boy then started...blushing?!

"Did you not hear me, I said that you were dismissed!" Smoke shouted.

The boy flinched and bowed before running off. Smoke huffed and closed the door with his foot. I tried to cool my blushing face, but nothing worked. Smoke raised an eyebrow at me while setting the trays down. "What's that matter?"

"Nothing!" I squeaked.

He walked over to me, raised my chin with his index finger, and looked in to my eyes. Oh jeez.

"I know how he looked innocent. Truth is, he has dreamed of raping a young woman like you for a very long time."

My red cheeks turned pale and I sighed. "Great. Another dog."

Smoke kept his gaze on me. He took off his mask, pecked me on the cheek, and then put his mask back on just as quickly as he had taken it off.

"They won't get near you. I promise."

I blushed as he released my chin and walked over to the trays of food.

"Come, let us eat."

I sighed, sat on the plushy pillows, and watched as he began to serve the food. I glanced at the bag of gummy bears on the bed and heard him sigh.

"Go ahead and grab them. I guess I'll just take that long, unneccesary trek to buy some more."

"Thanks!" I smiled as I jumped up, grabbed the bag, and settled back down on to the pillows.

"Your lack of sympathy surprises me," he chuckled. "Dig in.


	11. Scorpion

_**I was so full from the feast that I blacked out the moment I had the chance to. **_I guess Smoke had allowed for me to rest my head on his chest while I was sleeping, which was _wonderful_. His breathing was even, the cadence of his chest as it went up and down was like my very own lullaby. Be jealous, Smoke-lovers!

Waking up however was absolutely terrible. Excuse my blunt way of saying that, but it was. There were loud pounding sounds resounding throughout the long hallway and they didn't stop for the longest time. I groaned and clutched Smoke's clothing, and before long, the loud pounding was at the door. Smoke jumped up and I yelped as I fell off to the side. He looked alert, ready to take down whoever was at the door at this hour, while I cuddled against the pillows and tried to resume sleep. Smoke opened one of the doors and sighed.

"Where is she." A loud, gruff voice asked.

...Oh damn.

"For your information, _she_ is resting." Smoke answered back.

I heard Smoke grunt slightly and before I knew it, I was being jerked up. I closed my eyes shut, not wanting to look at him but having the faint desire to just take a peek.

"Wake up."

"Do you have any idea what time it is? She is resting, Specter!" Smoke shouted.

He shook me violently and I gasped from his intensity. "I said, wake up."

With that, my eyes shot open and he roughly pulled me up. "We start now."

...We start what? Training?! Oh come on, it was five minutes until midnight!

Smoke looked _pissed_. "Just. Let. Her. _Rest_."

"Don't worry about it," I said groggily towards Smoke. "I...I think I've got this."

Smoke's once angered look turned in to one of worry. "Are...are you sure?"

"Yeah... hey, look," I said as I tried to push Scorpion away from me. "I-I'm building muscle strength!"

Scorpion let out an ill-tempered sigh and grabbed me by my wrist. "Let's go."

I yelped as he dragged me out of Smoke's room and I tried to regain focus as he pulled me roughly through the long hallways. Was I really awake right now? I rubbed my eye with my free hand and regained a small portion of focus. Scorpion's hand was tightly wrapped around my small wrist, his grip on it was turning my hand a light purple. I blushed, wondering if I should beg for him to give my wrist a breather.

"...S..Sco..Scor...Scorpion-"

"Do not speak." He spat.

Well, so much for that. My hand would just have to die, I guess. Since I couldn't talk, I could still think. He couldn't hear my thoughts. Well, I thought the same thing with Sub-Zero and he read my mind in a crystal clear way, but dammit, I needed to think! I glanced at the back of Scorpion's head and began to blush again. This wasn't the way I wanted for him to touch me, but he _was_ touching me, and it was at least _something_! I bit my lower lip to stop the giggles from erupting, afraid of what he was going to do to me if a little sound escaped my lips. My eyes traveled to the tips of his swords, the tip as sharp as the tail of a scorpion. Ha, I see what I did there! I grew curious...were they so sharp that they could so easily pierce the tip of my finger? His back was close enough to me, so I reached out and...

"Ahh! Too pointy!" I hissed, my free finger quickly retreating back to my side.

Scorpion quickly turned, his intense glare scaring the shit out of me. Seriously, I think I farted.

"What were you doing-" He sneered.

"NOTHING!" I shouted, my eyes widening.

He raised his eyebrow. "Why are you shouting."

"I'M NOT SHOUTING!" I shouted.

Scorpion blinked, his undead eyes bore in to my soul...how creepy is _that_?

"Stay. Quiet." He seethed.

I gulped and before I could nod in response, he resumed dragging me behind him. I sighed and tried with all of my might to keep up with him. You remember how Smoke was dragging me to Sub-Zero's office as well as to the training grounds, his speed so expeditive that my sweat was dripping all over my body? Yeah, Scorpion just so happened to be _faster_. So, my sweat was dripping all over my body and leaving a nice wet trail behind us, bigger than the trail it left with Smoke. Great.

I knew that Scorpion wouldn't have any sort of mercy on me, so I really _did_ try to keep up with him. I stared at his muscles and came to the realization that he could tear off my arm if he wanted to. And it seemed like he did, because my hand was now a nice royal purple and my arm felt like it was just about to pop right out of its socket. I know he didn't want for me to say anything, but I had to.

"Scorpion-"

He roughly pulled me toward him, my face crashed against his iron-like chest. I blinked to regain a piece of my eyesight and felt his hot breath on my face.

"I told you to stay _quiet_."

I shut my eyes and gave off a slight whimper. "I...I'm sorry, but...I...I can't feel my...my arm..."

Scorpion didn't move. Ookkaay, that didn't work. Maybe if I cried...I tried to squeeze out some tears, but nothing was coming out. Instantly, he released his grip on me and I could feel my blood begin to flow back in to my hand. He clenched his fists and kept his eyes on me.

"Keep up."

With that, he spun around and walked faster than he had been while he was dragging me behind him. I walked as fast as I could, but again, my strides were nothing compared to his. My huffing and puffing sounds were loud and annoying to my ears; when I tried to calm my breathing, it only made my eyesight hazy. I resulted in going in to a slight jog, as much as I didn't want to. It was the only way to keep up with him, but the faster I seemed to be going, he just took longer strides, like he wanted to get away from me...damn, what an ass.

My throat was crying out for water. Juice. Any refreshment. My jogging began to falter about four minutes in, and I stopped. My sweat was dripping, rolling down my face, arms, legs, back...when I looked up, the sweat rolled in to my eyes and I hissed from the pain. Scorpion's footsteps were fading away...uh oh.

"S-" ...Wait, I couldn't talk. Dammit!

I grabbed the collar of my shirt and gently dabbed my eye. I had to find him, but where the hell did he go?! I feebly walked forward, occasionally looking around to make sure that nobody was following me. More sweat rolled in to my eyes and I groaned in frustration.

"This is ridiculous!" I exclaimed.

I heard footsteps behind me and I jerked my head back. If only I could see clearly...

"Hello."

I was practically scratching my eyes, trying to get the salty sensation out of it.

"Would you like some help?"

The voice sounded...familiar. I blinked and squinted my eyes, just so that I could catch a glimpse of the person speaking to me. I gasped when I came to the realization that it was the young kitchen boy who delivered food to Smoke's room not too long ago. His dark brown eyes looked compassionate, ready to help a pathetic excuse for a lady such as myself. He tilted his head, his hair swooped to one side.

"You look flustered, young maiden. Please, allow for me to help you."

He outstretched his arms as I continued to wipe at my eyes. Wait...Smoke had warned me about him. I had to get away...damn, where was Scorpion when you needed him?!

"N...N-N-No, I'm fine..." I stuttered, backing away from him.

He smiled and I felt my heart flutter in my chest. "You lie poorly, maiden. Here, at least drink this."

In his hand was...a bottle of water. Oh, how I needed that so badly. Temptation was all around me, my brain begging for me to take and chug the water while my instincts told me to leave. I stared at the bottle and the young boy seemed to have all the patience in the world.

"I would hate to have to see you dehydrate, young maiden. I assure you, it is _just_ water."

"T...Th...Then y-yo-y-you drink it!" I shouted.

The young boy chuckled and uncapped the bottle. With a swift motion, he took big gulps. I waited to see if there were any side effects, anything to indicate that he had drugged the water that he was offering to me...but nothing had happened to him. He simply swallowed and licked his lips.

"There, see? Just water." He smiled.

_'See, it's just water! Drink or I'll make you pass out!'_ My brain shouted.

I grabbed the bottle and stared at it for a second.

"Go on. Drink, there's plenty more where that came from." He laughed.

I took a small sip and smacked my lips together. Huh, it was pretty good water...I sipped some more and felt my body cry out in relief. My strength began to rebuild and I felt replenished...that's when I felt my hair being tugged downward.

"Hey, what are you-"

The boy smacked my face so hard, I saw stars.

"Shut up," He whispered, his rough hands touching my small breasts. "I'm going to enjoy this, whether you like it or not."

I gasped and tried to kick him away from me, but his firm body stayed on top of my frail frame.

"Get off of me!" I shouted.

He smacked me again and put his hand over my throat. "_Shut up_, or I'll choke you to death."

He gently squeezed my throat and I squeaked slightly. He seemed to be aroused by this, so he squeezed again, only tighter. I gagged and began to cough, my hands tried their best to fight him off. He removed his hand from my throat and I gasped for every morsel of air...that's when I felt his hands back on my breasts. I could feel something hard against my stomach...OH MY GOSH.

"Get away from me!" I screamed.

He squeezed my breasts as hard as he could and I yelped from the undeniable pain. His lips then traveled to my neck and he began to bite it.

"Beautiful, so beautiful." He mumbled.

How could I get this pervert away from me? I spat in his face in my process of thinking and he backed away slowly. He stared at me, those once compassionate eyes were now balls of lust.

"You bitch," he said gruffly as he put his hand back on my throat. "I'm going to have my way."

He tightened his grasp on my throat and as I struggled for air, I felt my skirt sliding down...oh no...

"S...Scor...SCORPION!" I choked out.

Just as I shouted his name, the young boy was lifted off of me. I wheezed for air, my eyes widened from the shock I had just experienced. I looked up and saw Scorpion lifting the boy by his throat, his other hand balled up in to the usual clenched fist. The boy was struggling for air just as I was earlier, and although I felt justified, I couldn't help but feel just a little bit of sympathy. I could tell the the boy was trying to talk, to somehow communicate to Scorpion to let him go, but Scorpion's iron grip only tightened on the boy's neck. Scorpion lifted the boy higher, and the boy looked panicked. Scorpion threw the boy to the ground and a loud crunching sound resounded throughout the hallway. The boy looked at the undead Specter with the greatest fear I have ever seen in a man's eyes.

"P...P-Pl-Please!" He croaked.

The way Scorpion approached him..._scared_ me. His steps were slow, deliberate, his head cocked to one side. His arms weren't moving as he walked, and the kind of aura he gave off was one of...doubtlessly pissed off.

"You intended on raping a _woman_?" Scorpion asked.

"N-N-No! No, I-"

"You lie." Scorpion hissed.

"Look, I'm...I'm sorry!"

Scorpion continued walking towards the boy.

"I didn't...I didn't rape her!"

"But you were going to."

I couldn't move. It felt like I was watching a movie, but this was _too good_ to be a movie. Scorpion stopped moving for a while, and he slowly took out his kunai. Oh my gosh, his_ kunai_...how powerful it looked, even though it was so much smaller than what I have seen from the games.

"I will give you _three_ seconds. One."

The young boy scrambled to his feet; he seemed to know what to do at that moment.

"Two."

He then began to run like a chicken with its head chopped off, searching for some sort of refuge but somehow not being able to find it.

"**Three.**"

Scorpion thrust his kunai at the young boy, the look on the boy's face scared _me_. I couldn't help but ask myself if I would be the next one to die after Scorpion was done with this one...would I be?

"Get over here!" Scorpion hollered.

I had merely blinked and the boy was dead. I don't know what Scorpion did, but the boy wasn't breathing anymore. I huffed and took a wobbly stance, unsure as to what would happen to me...would he yell at me? Kill me too? How would he kill me? I didn't want to die! Right on cue, he turned to me, his eyes showing no emotion.

"Let's go."

...That's it? I wasn't going to be scolded, killed? Wait a minute, he wasn't going to ask me how I was?! I mean, I had almost been sexually assulted for pete's sake, did he not care?!

Eh. Probably not. I sighed and took small steps, watching the corpse of the boy as if it somehow still had life in it.

I was relieved that Scorpion had begun walking at a reasonable pace. Sure, I still couldn't keep up with him, but at least he was walking a bit slower so that I could. Was he beginning to show some sort of care for me? Probably not. But still, I could dream...that's what got me here in the first place.

"We are here."

I looked around and saw that it was the training grounds, the same place where Sub-Zero had trained me. I took a deep breath and looked over at Scorpion. Huh...I wondered what _he_ would make me do-

"Run."

...What did I ever do to deserve this? I didn't want to show Scorpion that I didn't want to run...that would only show him that I had no motivation. At the same time, I really didn't.

"Can...can I do...so-something...uh...something...uhm...el-else?"

"**Run.**" He demanded.

"But I hate running!"

I gasped and quickly cupped my hands on my lips. Did I really just back-sass Scorpion? I felt like a badass! My little victory was short lived however...the floor began to get _really_ hot.

"What the..." I whispered. I smelt burning flesh and sweat. Oh crap, that was..._me_?!

"_**Run.**_" Scorpion demanded once again.

...Was he really about to set me on fire if I didn't run? A part of me just wanted to stand and wait to see if he actually did it, but I didn't want to take any chances. I sighed and started off with a light jog, the water I had earlier helped me a good deal. But even though I was jogging, the floor began to increase in heat.

"**Faster.**" Scorpion boomed.

Dang, Sub-Zero was a Cyromancer, but he didn't use his powers to make me run! Scorpion was being a dick! I ran, determined not to be set on fire, but tired to the point where being set on fire didn't seem like a bad thing. Little flames began to sprout from the ground and I yelped upon stepping on some of them, blisters undoubtedly forming on my legs and in between my toes. Crap.

"**Faster.**" Scorpion boomed once more.

Bigger flames began to sprout from the ground and I panted loudly, trying to get away from them. I regret saying that being lit on fire seemed like a better choice because I don't know if you already know this, but fire, uh, oh yeah, _burns_. I took leaps, running faster than I had ever ran in my life. I hated it. I needed to stop, I couldn't keep this up...what the hell did running have to do with training again?!

The fire began to cease and so did I. I slowed to a stop, my heart beating out of my chest. I was puffing, swallowing my own saliva and pretending that it was water. Maybe this was my punishment for not keeping up with him earlier...a little harsh, don't you think?

"Push ups. Go."

...I was starting to hate him now. I flopped on my stomach and placed my hands under my breasts. I winced from the pain that I still felt...that boy squeezed them _hard_. I winced and waited for the signal to begin. That's when Scorpion nudged my legs and arms with his foot.

"Cross your ankles and bring your arms in."

I did as he said and he pushed me down, causing my whole body to collapse. I huffed and looked up, wondering why he even did that.

"Begin."

Okay, I could do a simple push up. I tried to lift my body with my arms and found it extreamly difficult...what the hell, I wasn't _that_ heavy! I looked back and saw Scorpion, his foot still..._there._

"Uh, do you mind?" I asked.

My question didn't sound pleasing to him or something. He leaned forward, putting more weight for me.

"_Begin._"

I sighed and tried again to push myself up. The harder I tried, the more he leaned forward. He was doing this on purpose, and I was making me angry! I was so determined to prove to him that I could do a push up, no matter how much he leaned in. I grunted and pushed as hard as I could, promising to myself that I could do this. Scorpion leaned in more and I gasped as my sweat ran like raindrops down a car window down my face...I wouldn't give up. My sweat was burning my eyes, but I wasn't going to let that stop me...I had to keep going. I needed to prove to this sexy bastard that I could do it. I closed my eyes and pushed up, my arms shaking from all of the pressure. That's when he removed his foot and I jerked up, both of my arms popping simultaneously.

"Acceptable. Bend forward."

I got to my feet and bent down. He walked in front of me and bent forward as well...and...his...his magical ass was near my face...oh dear. I had always dreamed about touching his butt...I know, there's something wrong with me...but it was so..._fine_. It looked so chiseled from the games, but here he was now, his finely carved ass near my face...and it was chiseled in real life too. I wanted to touch it...maybe even grope it, I don't know! I just needed to touch it, it looked amazing!

"You will now-" Scorpion began.

I reached for it. Screw what he was saying, I needed to touch his butt. This was a once in a lifetime fortuity, and I had to take it.

"Girl, are you liste-"

I closed my eyes and reached out. I felt my hand collide with his butt and I...felt...satisfied. I blushed and gently squeezed it, not worried about the consequences...yeah, he would probably kill me later.

"What the hell is this?!"

I looked up and saw Smoke with Sub-Zero, the young boy's body draped over Smoke's shoulders. The position that Scorpion and I were in was...awkward enough for Smoke's eyes to widen and holler at me to stand where he was. I straightened my body and quickly removed my hand from Scorpion's ass. Sub-Zero looked a little more than just pissed off, his eyes wide and demanding an explanation.

"Could you care to explain what happened to our kitchen boy?" Sub-Zero asked.

"Sure. I killed him." Scorpion replied nonchalantly.

"Why?!" Sub-Zero yelled.

"Calm your tits, Sub-Zero!" Scorpion yelled back.

Huh...weird role reversal.

"What do you mean calm my tits, you have killed one of my own!"

"He was nothing more than a kitchen boy!"

"So if he had a title, you wouldn't have killed him?!"

"H...He tried to...ra-r-r-r-rap-rape...me..." I stuttered.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion turned their attention to me. Smoke blinked quickly, his fists clenched tightly. He threw the boy away from him and bent down to examine me.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"He...he..." I replied quietly.

"No, no, no..." Smoke gasped, cupping my face in his hands. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you, I'm so sorry."

"S...Scorpion helped me..."

Smoke paused and looked up at Scorpion and Sub-Zero took a step back. I looked away from him however, not sure how he would react to me, especially now that I touched his ass.

"That...uh...how can we-" Smoke began.

"She needs to be trained more. She is too weak to help herself and needs to rely on others to get her out of trouble."

"That's what you're here for." Sub-Zero grimaced.

Scorpion sighed and crossed his arms. "Unfortunately."

I sighed and curled in to Smoke's arms. Sub-Zero looked at me, his eyes showing an absolute concern. "Her sweat has run up and down the halls. Clean it up."

Scorpion looked at Sub-Zero. "_You're_ telling _me_ what to do?"

"Get used to it, Specter."

"...Oh **HELL NO, YOU DON'T TELL ME TO DO ANYTHING!**"

"I can do** WHAT I WANT TO, SPECTER!**"

"Come." Smoke whispered, gently pulling me alongside him.

I watched as the two argued and thought of my narrow escape from the unwanted lust of a young boy. Scorpion was surely a douchebag, but he saved me. Twice. Was there really something in him that held some sort of admiration for me, or was it just my imagination? He usually wouldn't save somebody out of the blue, let alone myself. Somehow however, I couldn't help but stare at Scorpion's ass once again. I was so glad that I had the chance to touch it, and although I couldn't keep hold of it for very long, it was definately chiseled.

"**STOP STARTING AT MY ASS, GIRL!**"

My eyes widened and I turned my attention to Smoke's feet.

"...What?" Smoke asked softly.

...Oh man, I had some explaining to do.


	12. Strength And A New Wardrobe

**_Smoke wouldn't speak to me._** He was walking ahead of me rather quickly, and I couldn't help but feel insecure about it. I could sense the obvious discomfort, and I took a long sigh; I had to improve myself. It was obvious that I was starting to get on everybody's nerves because I simply didn't have the strength of will to fight for my own. I wiped my nose with my arm and stopped walking. Smoke froze, then slowly turned and made eye contact with me

"I'm going back to the training grounds." I said strongly.

He didn't say anything. This caused me to panic just slightly before he turned back around.

"Do what you need to do."

I stared at his back for a while and watched as he clenched his fists together, eventually relaxing them.

"I have made a vow to protect you. However, too much protection means that I am disabling you and preventing you from growth."

The way he was speaking to me wasn't what I was used to. He spoke in a rough tone, not totally caring how I would feel if he said a certain word in a jagged way. I bowed my head and released a small smile. "You're right."

He didn't turn to look at me. His body seemed stiff, almost like he wanted to grab me and prevent harm from coming to me. But he didn't move, his once over protective instincts toward me struggling to die right before my very eyes.

"You are still allowed to room with me, Ama."

"...I know..."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. He wasn't moving, and neither was I.

"Go. You have a lot to work on."

This time, I grew stiff. What would I do once I got there...wait, where the hell were the training grounds again?!

I heard Smoke huff gently and I looked up. "Go straight. You'll find two hallways that cut off from the main hallway. Turn right. Walk straight and then make a sharp left. You'll find a zig-zag hallway after that. Follow it. Once you reach the end of it, make another sharp left and then make a sharp right. You'll find the training grounds."

...Oh jeez. Right...no, no, wait...left? Dammit!

"I'll find it!" I shouted, aggravated.

With that, I stomped down the hallway. I would find it, no problem! No lustful man would get in my way; I had to better myself, even if I died trying!

"Gah!" I screamed.

One minute I was up and determined...the next, I was on the ground and now fully aware of my untied shoelaces. I groaned in frustration over my carelessness; that would obviously have to stop. I quickly double looped the laces, stood, and continued on my way. There was nothing that could stop me; I felt empowered, free to choose my own future, a stronger future-

"Ama, turn right!"

I paused and looked back, only to see Smoke point to the right. Still empowered, I shouted to him, "I know where I'm going!"

"You were turning left!"

I looked at the direction I was going and blushed. "Oh! **Well!** I just needed a push in the right direction, that's all!"

I turned right and ran straight in to a wall. Absolutely frustrated, I regained my focus and marched in to the hallway on the right. Stupid...why was I so stupid?! That would have to stop too! While in my self criticism state, I failed to observe the growing herds of lustful men. I felt eyes burning all over my body, but chose to ignore it. They honestly _did_ start to intimidate me...maybe more than I should have allowed them to.

"Yeah, yeah, boobies, a species other than a man, I get it now, look away!" I hollered.

The men chuckled and continued to stare at me.

_'Don't let them get to you, Ama. They're just dogs, think of it that way.'_

I huffed and continued on my way. Stupid men and their lustful ways. I suddenly had the thought of touching Scorpion's butt...was that lust too? Eh, probably, but still...I've wanted to do that for a while, and I just had to, it was right there! One does not simply deny such an opprotunity!

"Hey, honey! Did it just get hot in here or what?!"

I paused slightly and glanced back. The Lin Kuei perverts were making obscene movements, somehow determined that they would turn me on. I huffed, rolled my eyes, and continued on my way.

"Ouu, we've got a diva!" One of them shouted.

"Just ignore them, just_ ignore_ them..." I hummed to myself.

"Aww, come on babe! We aren't that bad, are we fellas?"

The other Lin Kuei members began to laugh like hyenas. I walked faster, determined to make it to the training grounds without another attempt at being attacked.

"Hey, don't you walk away from us, woman!"

"**LEAVE ME ALONE!**" I screamed.

The men jolted slightly by the tone of my voice...frankly, so did I. It was pretty damn powerful.

"Now, I am trying to make it to the training grounds. I will have none of this because it is disrespectful and you all know it! I swear, I hope Sub-Zero gets on all of your asses for being such ungracious dogs!"

Most of them showed no emotion while others showed some sense of shame. I smiled inside triumphantly, but I still had a long way to go, and so many more Lin Kuei members to run in to. I started walking again until I heard a small, "Pardon."

"What?!" I shouted.

"You're going the wrong way. Turn right, and then you'll come to a zig-zag hallway-"

"Turn _right?_ DAMMIT, SMOKE!" I screamed, immediately turning right.

After walking for a few minutes, I came across a zig-zag hallway. Great, almost there...right? I followed it and could somehow hear yelling voices not too far away from where I was.

"I could be doing better things with my time than take care of some _incapable_ brat who knows nothing of combat but everything else of the realms!"

...Yeah, that was Scorpion.

"Enough, Scorpion! Both of us know what you would be doing, you'd be accusing me _once again_ of killing your family and clan when I had nothing to do with it!"

"**Yes you did!**"

"**No, I didn't!** For the millionth time, I _wasn't_ involved! How many times to I have to _prove_ that to you?!"

"You have no proof, **it was you!**"

"Uggh, it was my older brother, idiot!"

"Oh, I'll show you idiot, _imbecile!_"

Huh. I found it sort of impressive that Sub-Zero would already know that. Then again, if the same guy came at you with the same accusation _every single day_, it really shouldn't be a foreign thing. I quickly made my way through the hallway and made a sharp left instinctively. I then ran in to another wall and it...collapsed. I tumbled along with the wall and coughed as the dust gathered around my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw Sub-Zero and Scorpion staring at me.

"Uh...I'm just uh..."

"What do you want, Ama." Sub-Zero asked, a spark of annoyance in his tone.

"I've just come here to...uh...train...and junk..."

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Train? _Now?_"

"Yes, _now!_" I shouted.

Sub-Zero glared at me and I lowered my defensive stance. Twiddling with my thumbs, I added a quiet, "Please."

"I'm busy right now. Perhaps some other time." Sub-Zero huffed.

"But-"

"**Not now.**" Sub-Zero boomed.

I clenched my fists and closed my eyes. "I'm tired of being weak! Just let me train so that I can get out of your hair!"

Sub-Zero looked pissed. And I was about to piss myself again. Seriously, the way he was looking at me wasn't at all pleasant, and I thought he was about to take out his Kori blade and slice me up right there.

"Ama-"

"**Just let the girl train!**" Scorpion yelled.

"This isn't any of your business, Specter!" Sub-Zero yelled back, slowly turning to face Scorpion.

"I have been charged with training the girl as well, witless turd!"

"Witless turd? Do you have no pride, Specter?!"

"**STOP IT!**"

Both of them looked at me again, their fists clenched and ready to strike one another.

"Ugh, you two are acting like such children, it's unbelievable! My younger brother knows how to act better than both of you put together!"

Sub-Zero straightened while Scorpion crossed his arms. Jeez, it felt like I had to train them on how to behave in front of other people.

"Alright. Now, I need somebody to help me train. Any volunteers?"

Sub-Zero looked at Scorpion while Scorpion kept his undead eyes on me.

"I will." Sub-Zero announced proudly.

Scorpion scoffed and disappeared in a flash of flames. Sub-Zero sighed and re-crossed his arms. The small show of strength that I had showed made me happy personally, but I wanted to maintain my building self esteem, heck, even make it grow with each passing day. I smoothed my incredibly dirty school skirt and blouse...dang, I hope Smoke had clothes small enough to fit me once I returned to his room.

"How did you manage to come here?" Sub-Zero asked.

"I...I came by myself." I answered strongly.

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrows, seemingly impressed. "Did you run in to any of-"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. They're terrible." I announced bluntly.

Sub-Zero lowered his eyes and nodded slightly. "Right. On with the training."

He took a few steps back and closed his eyes. He then placed his hands together and raised his right leg slowly, crouched down, and gently placed his raised leg over his left leg.

"You must practice balance. From what I have observed, you have no sense of direction and your balance in so off that even an infant could win in a race against you, even if you were it's only competitor."

...Ouch.

"Do as I am doing and clear your mind."

Balance on one foot while putting my hands together? Piece of cake! Ouu, cake...cake sounded good right about now...with chocolate icing...maybe cream cheese frosting-

"Ama, **clear your mind.**"

I giggled softly and shook my head to get the thoughts of cake out of it. Once I felt like I had cleared my mind, I took a deep breath and put my hands together. Alright, two steps done, one more to go. I slowly lifted my right leg and crouched down. Right, I've got this! Just as I was about to put my right leg over my left, I felt a panicked sensation running down my spine.

_'Hey Ama, it's your brain. Yeah, it's been awhile! Hey so, listen...you're about to fall. I know you shouldn't panic or anything because you've fallen plenty of times...but uh...yeeeaaah.'_

"Dammit." I cussed silently, determined to prove my brain wrong. My left leg started to cramp up, my hands sweating so much that they became slippery, and my right leg was still awkwardly in the air.

"Ama, what are you-"

With that, I toppled over and groaned in frustration. Stupid brain, stupid flimsy legs, stupid balance lesson. I looked up and saw Sub-Zero standing over me, obviously not impressed.

"Again."

I sighed as I stood up and I tried it all over again. The results? Yeah, me falling over, groaning in frustration, and cursing myself sounds about right. The more I tried, the more Sub-Zero seemed indifferent to my efforts. He didn't muster a word; no "Good job" or "Way to go" came from his lips at all. How discouraging it all was...how the hell was I suppossed to take something from this if I wasn't being encouraged?

_'Just suck it up, Ama...'_ I thought to myself, bent on getting this balancing crap mastered before the next sunrise.

Sub-Zero simply stared at me, his eyes showing nothing. It bothered me a bit too much and so, pissed off with the fact that he wouldn't encourage me, I shouted, "Why don't you take a picture?! It lasts longer!"

Sub-Zero's eyes grew slowly, his eyebrows furrowed menacingly. "_Say again?_"

I wasn't worried about what he would do to me...well, secretly I was...he was bigger and taller than I was...but I had to prove my dominance in some way. I stood tall, tried to ignore his scary glare, and repeated. "Why don't you take a picture...it LASTS LONGER!"

Ouu, that set him off. He grabbed my wrist and raised it, causing me to yelp. He brought his face close to mine, his warm breath hitting my face.

"_Know where you stand,_ **Ama.**"

I shuddered slightly, his grip cold enough to frost my entire arm off. I suppose the part that really scared me was the fact that he wasn't letting go.

"Well, if you'd just...encourage me-"

"Encourage you? How am I to encourage you when you have not made the _least bit_ of progress?!"

"I have at least made_ some_ progress!"

"Ama, you are continuously attacked and in distress. You have not even lasted for more than forty-five minutes and you are already complaining. Cease your mindless blabber and-"

"Mindless blabber?! Look, just because I don't look like a balloon animal, it doesn't mean that I'm not strong!"

Sub-Zero threw my arm to my side and stayed silent.

"I've been through...a lot. Alright? I've grown up in an environment that no child should grow up in, I've been subject to a lot of things, so I am _not_ weak!"

Sub-Zero's cold eyes were still on me, almost relating to what I was saying but too stubborn to admit it.

"You know, to be honest, I'd rather be _here_, where death hides in every corner, than go back home. Death looks a lot better than what I'm used to. And I know that you don't like it, Scorpion doesn't like it...a lot of you don't like it. Probably because I get in the way, right? All of you had to drop what you were doing previous to my arrival and tend to my needs because I'm that new, _fragile_ girl who knows nothing about combat or how to throw darts or whatever. If I had to choose, I would probably leave so that all of you could go back to your regular ways of life."

Sub-Zero grunted softly. "We aren't faced with that decision. For the most part, you're correct. You get in the way, you have unveiled feelings within all whom you have encountered, which is dangerous because it can be seen as a weakness on our part to our enemies. Frankly, since you've been here, you've been more of a nuisance than any source of importance."

I sighed and bowed my head. Don't cry, Ama. Whatever you do, don't cry...you're only proving him right. But...what if he was right? Okay, he may have been right, but...it was still unbearable to hear.

"But I have never denied your strength."

I looked up at him slowly. "Wh-What?"

"Physically, you're a wreck. But your mental strength surprises me. You are willing to get back up after so many failures and attacks, and that is rare."

"...Have I _really_ failed over and over?"

Sub-Zero's icy glare smoothed over, his eyes showing amusement. "Yes."

"Well, at least I know that I'm making progress..." I sighed.

"I never said that."

"Oh, come on! I've...I've been making a _little_ progress!"

"Oh, do you really think so?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Alright then. Run."

...Me and my big stupid mouth.

* * *

After running, practicing on my balancing lesson, and punching Sub-Zero's hand over and over until my own hand started bleeding again, I made my way back to Smoke's room...alone. See, I _am_ making progress! Surprisingly, I had not seen as many men as I had seen before, so I was guessing that it was probably dinner time for them. Speaking of dinner, I was _starving._ I hope Smoke had still had that small instinctual feeling for me left over so that I could eat. Once I had reached his doors, I took a deep breath. Before I could knock, he opened it and looked down at me with bored eyes.

"I'm...back!" I smiled.

Smoke nodded and grunted softly. "I see you've made it there and back safely."

"Surprisingly, right?"

"Mmhm."

...Awwwkward...

"You must be hungry."

"Y-Yeah! Uh..."

He ushered me inside, made me sit, and gently pushed a plate in to my lap.

"Eat up, there's plenty more where that came from." He smiled.

I stared at him for a second, then I glanced back at my plate. So he _was_ acting different...he wasn't smothering me as much, he wasn't excited to see me...of course, he had to be this way because he knows that I have to take care of myself, and I had to fight my own battles...still...

"What's wrong." He demanded slowly.

I didn't want him to think that I was thinking about that. Ugh, what else was there that I should have worried myself over?!

"I was just...thinking...uh...about new rags! Yeah, I need new rags, you know what I'm sayin'?" I smiled.

Smoke raised his eyebrow and leaned back. "Rags? Why on Earth are you talking about rags?"

"No, you misunderstand. Rags is slang for clothing."

"What...where do you learn this stuff?"

"I've heard it around school! I can't believe you don't know it!"

"...Are you sure you attend a Japanese school?"

"Ugh, _yes!_ It's an American slang thing!"

Smoke stared at me for a while with the same confused look. I sighed and dug my fork in to a sliced piece of chicken breast.

"That is the_ oddest_ thing I have heard all day." Smoke sighed.

"Stop worrying about it then!"

"I can't!" Smoke shouted.

"Smoke, I need new clothes! That's what I meant!"

Smoke let out a frustrated sigh. "You could have just said that you needed new clothes, Ama."

"I had already explained to you what rags meant!"

"I know that, but you could have at least-"

"JUST GET ME SOME NEW CLOTHES, SMOKE!"

Smoke threw me a harsh glare. "Fine. You know what? Just for that, no dessert."

"You can't _do_ that!"

Smoke took a large milkshake from the tray, took off his mask, and held the shake close to his lips. "Watch me, princess."

"You'd better not, Smoke! I swear, I won't talk to you for three weeks!"

"Hmph, then you'd better find another place to sleep."

"...Screw you!" I screamed.

He lowered the shake and smiled in the most sexiest way. "Maybe some other time, sweet heart."

My eyes widened. No way. Great, now I felt temporarily attracted to him. How the hell did he do that?!

"Tell you what. I'll get you an outfit, as a favor to you. But I take the milkshake."

"Not fair, Smoke! You know how I like the milkshake-"

"So do I. And you do need new clothes after all, your uniform is starting to become torn and you smell like a donkey's ass."

"Wow, thanks." I replied sarcastically. Damn, that was a low blow.

"Your welcome. Wait here."

Smoke set the milkshake down and walked over to his closet. While I heard him shuffling around, I glanced over at the milkshake. Sure, I wasn't done with my dinner...but the milkshake was calling out to me. It was all like, _"Ama, you know you want a piece of this." _

As Smoke continued to shuffle through his closet, I scooted closer and closer to the milkshake. He wouldn't know that I took it...or maybe he would...either way, I wanted it!

I reached out and touched the cool glass. Ouu, me gusta. I picked it up slowly and brought the glass to my lips. Just as I was about to tilt the glass, I felt it tip for me...just a little too much. The milkshake was all over my face and rolling down my shirt as well as the front of my uniform, splattering on to my lap. I sputtered and wiped my eyes clear to see Smoke, his face showing signs of discontent.

"Didn't I say that the milkshake was mine?" He demanded.

"Y-Yeah. But so did I!"

Smoke chuckled softly and unfolded the neatly bunched clothing. "Here. I suggest you bathe yourself before putting it on. It's been washed, pressed, everything. Try not to mess it up, huh?"

I stared at my new outfit in awe. It was a shinobi shozoko, closely resembling Smoke's own clothing which really wasn't much of a surprise...but it had more of a silver-like tone to it, even more so than Smoke's outfit. I stared at the mask that went along with it and shuddered slightly. "Do I have to wear that?"

"It's preferred."

"...Okay, but I don't necessarily have to wear it, right?"

"It's preferred."

"Smoke, do I have to wear the mask or what?!"

"It's preferred."

"GAH! You know what, never mind. Where's your bathroom."

Smoke pointed to where his bathroom was. I grabbed the outfit from his hands and stormed in. I gasped once I realized how big everything was...huge shower, a gargantuan bath tub, yet a small ass toilet. What the hell.

"Smoke, where's the soap?!"

"Are you taking a bath or a shower?!"

"A shower!"

"There's a bar of soap already in there!"

"...Did you already use it!?"

"Of course, Ama!"

"...Don't you have another bar of soap that I can use?!"

"Just use that one!"

"But you've already used it! It's dirty now!"

"Ama, _it's soap!_"

"That doesn't mean anything!

"Ama, just use the soap!"

"But I don't-"

"**USE THE SOAP!**"

"**_FINE!_**"

I huffed and looked around for a towel.

"SMOKE!"

"WHAT?!"

"WHERE ARE THE TOWELS?!"

"TOP SHELF, NEXT TO THE SINK!"

I glanced at the sink and noticed large towels folded neatly. There was no way Smoke folded them himself...even if he did, he must have been bored out of his mind.

"THANK YOU!"

"YOU'RE WELCOME!"

I walked over and grabbed a towel quickly. I haven't taken a shower in forever, so I needed this more than anything. I set the towel near the sink and slowly undraped myself. I was so happy to be out of that crappy school uniform and about to put on something new. Sure, it wasn't my ordinary jeans and t-shirt look, but it was something different and I was ready to try it on. After undressing, I looked down and noticed that there were stairs leading up to the shower, which didn't make any sense to me as I climbed them. It added a spark of elegance, but it was unnecessary. Very unnecessary. Seriously Smoke, did you really need stairs just to get in to your own shower? I closed the glass door and looked up at the shower head. It was attached to the wall, so I couldn't grab it just to check the water temperature...fantastic.

"Alright, how do I start this thing..." I said to myself.

There were so many switches, I was thinking that I may as well try the bathtub. I sighed and just as I opened the glass door, water began to pour from the grand shower head. I touched it slightly with my index finger and, satisfied with the temperature, took the longest shower I had ever taken. I felt so relieved to wash away everything that had happened to me as well as the disgusting sweat which shamelessly rolled down every part of my body. I allowed the water to take me in and embrace me; it had been awhile since I had felt such satisfaction. I grabbed the soap and stared at it for a good while.

"Should I even _use_ this? Is that even_ right?_" I asked myself.

...You know what, screw it. I rubbed the soap all over my body and giggled with delight. I was finally cleaning myself! If you've been trained by Sub-Zero and Scorpion, a shower is what you pray for afterwards, trust me. Food too. And water. Oh my goodness, so much water.

After my seemingly three-hour long shower, I stepped out feeling rejuvenated and free. Partially because I was still naked. I grabbed the towel, dried myself off, and threw the towel on to the floor. I looked at my new clothes and gently touched it with my fingertips...now to put it on.


	13. Twice The Effort

**The minute I put on my new outfit, I felt like I suddenly lost at least a hundred pounds.**__The thing was _huge_ on me and I didn't know how to make it smaller. I looked in the mirror and picked out most of the good parts of it...sure, it was oversized, but it was actually pretty cozy. I felt comfortable, almost like they were something close to pajamas instead of an important ninja uniform. I raised my arms and giggled once I noticed that the patterns closely resembled Smoke's own patterns.

"I should probably show him..." I told myself.

"Ama, are you done yet?!"

Smoke pounded on the door and I flinched slightly by the amount of force he used.

"Not yet! Give me a few minutes!"

"You've been in there for **over three hours!**"

"I'm a girl! That's **normal!**"

"You're _insane!"_

_"Leave me alone, Smoke!"_

There was a brief silence, but I could sense that he was still there. I stormed over to the door and kicked it roughly.

"HEY!" He screamed.

"Get away from the door!"

"I'm not going to _do_ anything!"

"I don't care, just get away!"

Smoke groaned in frustration and stomped away from the door. I huffed and walked back the mirror. While I was observing myself, the door fell off its hinges and crashed on to the ground. I screamed and jumped back only to see Smoke, his face showing signs of wanting to throw me in to a den of lions and watch me struggle to get out.

"**Get out of the bathroom, Ama.**"

"...What the heck went up your ass-"

"Ama, seriously. I don't have time-"

"Do you have to use the restroom?"

He stared at me for a little while. I smiled slowly and pointed at him saying, "Aww, you need to use the bathroom!"

"Just get out." Smoke said coldly.

"No. You poured a milkshake over me. Did you think I forgot that?"

"Ama-"

"Apologize first, then I'll consider."

"I don't have TIME for you to consider, you brat!"

"Ouu, you called me a name. Apologize, and maybe I'll let you use the bathroom."

Smoke looked like he was about to blow up. Ha, if you know what I mean!

"Screw this," He hissed as he wrapped his arms around me and threw me out of the bathroom. I squeaked as I landed on the carpet, only to then hear the door slam loudly.

"You don't have to result to violence, Smoke-"

"BE QUIET, AMA!"

...Dang. I stood and brushed myself off. I had to somehow control this outfit...but with what? I started to roam around Smoke's closets and dressers, searching for another belt small enough to keep the rest of the outfit _on_ my body. I shuffled over Smoke's clothes and felt something sharp hit my index finger.

"Ahh, what the-" I hissed. "What..."

I moved more of his clothes over and picked up a silver box. It was engraved with a delicate _S_, just like his handkerchief. Okay, now I was curious. I opened the box and saw stacks and stacks of paper, all neatly stacked.

"He...writes?" I asked myself, looking through the papers. Many of them were dated and were written in Czech, so I couldn't understand any of it. Parts of the text however, were in Japanese and in English. I picked one of the papers and began reading it.

* * *

_Still desperate in knowing who I am. Am I only used by the Lin Kuei because of my skill? Is that all they see in me? Can they not help me? Am I wasting my time here? Kuai wonders the same thing, but he has a greater purpose in this place. He, as well as his brother, are the last of their kind, a race of Cyromancers. Once I find who I am and what I was designed for, should I just leave? Wouldn't it be unfair to Kuai? Still searching..._

* * *

...Whoa, he asked as many questions as I did. I placed it neatly in to the box and noticed a yellow-tinted paper. I picked it up and began to read it as well.

* * *

_Met a girl today. She is short, annoying, and sweats constantly. Sure, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of...happiness...when I first saw her, but she knows nothing, a naive fool with nothing to gain, but nothing to lose. Well, I wouldn't say that she knows nothing...she knows about the realms, specifically Edenia. She wishes to meet the Princess and her bodyguard, as well as the Queen. She is fascinated with everything here, and she has a sharp tongue. Only time will tell what will happen to her._

* * *

...Annoying? Naive fool? Short?! Really, Smoke?! I felt my face heat up as I placed the paper back in to the box. I knew that I had to get to the task at hand and find something that would keep this outfit together, but this box of letters was interesting. I never knew Smoke wrote, and with such nice handwriting too. After much contemplation, I closed the box and put it back where it belonged. I placed Smoke's clothes over the box just as I had found it...I didn't want for him to think that I was snooping. Smoke came out of the bathroom, sighed, and stared at me for a while.

"What...what's up?" I smiled.

Smoke continued to stare at me. He then rolled his eyes and walked past me. Ookaay.

"You are a frustrating little creature." He sighed.

"What are you talking about-"

"Why were you going through my things."

Crap.

"I-I was just looking for something that would tighten my new outfit-"

"So what, you think sheets of paper are going to do it?" His voice grew more impatient, his eyes slowly widening.

"N-No, Smoke-"

"Then why the hell were you reading my writings."

"I was just curious-"

"What have you read." His jaw was clenched, his demeanor beginning to make me turn defensive.

"I only read two of the pages, and they didn't reveal anything that I-"

"Why?!"

"Relax, it wasn't anything that I already know!"

Smoke looked like he wanted to rip the nails off my fingers. The smoke around him grew more and more, like he was ready to attack me.

"Those are _personal notes_, Ama."

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't ever go through them again. _Am_ I understood."

I sighed out of frustration and crossed my arms. "Fine."

"I don't see why you are resentful."

"Because you treat me like I'm, what, a naive fool?!"

Smoke turned away quickly. I secretly wanted to know where his limits were just so that I could push them and watch how he reacted. I know, not a smart thing to do towards a video game character who performs fatalities. Huh, maybe I _was_ a naive fool.

"Get out." Smoke hissed.

I looked up at him with obvious hurt in my face. "What-"

"I said, **get out.**"

I couldn't move. What did he mean...he wanted me to leave?

"Smoke, I'm sorry-"

"**GET OUT!**" He shouted.

I bleated and ran out of the room, the power in his voice frightening me more than Scorpion himself. I ran down the hallways aimlessly, my new clothes jerking and dragging alongside me. The anger in Smoke's voice almost seemed to follow me, so I ran faster, wanting only to find refuge. I looked behind me as I ran, still aware that I was alone and still vulnerable.

"What are you doing."

I squeaked as I stopped running, almost running in to Sub-Zero. He looked down at me with careless wonder, and I looked up at him, seeing him as my coincidental retreat.

"Just...uh! Going for a...uh! Run! Yeah!"

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrow.

"Right! See, I was just...uh...practicing! Yeah! For uh...tomorrow!"

"You don't train with me tomorrow."

"Oh...oh! Yeah, of course, I knew that! Silly Subby!"

"What?"

"**Nothing.**"

Sub-Zero crossed his arms. "Why are you _really_ out here, Ama."

"...I'm just...going for a run!"

"Alright. You should rest, however. I will take you to Smoke's chambers-"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because...uh...because...I...uh...uhmmm-"

"Honestly, Ama-"

"I pissed him off, alright?"

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrow even more. What did he not understand by that, seriously.

"Really? How so?"

"I don't want to go in to details, it wasn't the proudest moment of my life. I just...I need somewhere to sleep for the night. Can you make that possible?"

Sub-Zero just stood there and stared at me. Okay, big guy, it doesn't take that long to say yes.

"I prefer you sleep in Smoke's chambers."

"Bro, did you not hear me? He's _mad_ at me! Personally, I think he's overreacting-"

"Smoke doesn't overreact. You must have really tugged at his strings."

"I know, and I feel bad. Can you help me?"

He paused for a bit. "Come."

We walked for a while, but I was fine with the pace. He wasn't walking too fast, or too slow...he was walking at just the right speed. I walked silently beside him, glancing occasionally at the Lin Kuei portraits and symbols engraved throughout the walls. He was silent as well, the only sound I ever heard from him were his footsteps. We passed by his office and he stopped.

"Before we enter my chambers, I have rules for you to go by."

Damn, the man had rules for his own room? Awkward...

"They are only for you, Ama. You are still a guest."

Ohh. "Go on."

"You will not look through my things, you will wake up at exactly four in the morning. You will take showers everyday and you will wash your own uniform."

"Uh, okay, do you guys have a laundromat or something around here?"

Sub-Zero gave me a confused look.

"What, you've never heard of a laundromat before?" I asked.

"You will be washing your own clothing with your hands. That is how it is done around here, so you may as well get used to it."

"Okay, and where exactly do I wash my-"

"Outside. You will use the wash bucket."

"...Okay...what else?"

"You will not use what belongs to me. There are extra towels in the high cabinets in the bathroom, and there is plenty of soap; you will not use the same soap that I am using. When you sleep, you will not snore, drool, talk, sleepwalk, or do anything else that will invade my meditation. On the days that you train with me, I expect you to be awake at three thirty in the morning, prepared for your lessons. You will not complain, groan, or try to convince me that you can not do what I ask of you. You will do it, no questions asked. I advise that you prepare a bottle of water the night before. Tomorrow morning however, as you train with Scorpion, I will be observing your progress and movements. Whatever he does not teach you, I will. Is there anything that you misunderstand, Ama."

...Yeah, could we go back to the beginning? Preferably the part where I couldn't drool? I always drooled in my sleep, this was going to be _hell_.

"Where, uhm...where am I going to sleep?"

"Come with me." Sub-Zero grunted as he walked past me.

He moved a thick curtain and there stood a glass door. He opened it and ushered me inside. As I walked it, I kept note of the graudeur that the room presented. It was almost as big as Smoke's room, the bed big enough for me to roll around on, the ceiling high enough for me to gaze at it before I went to sleep...everything was nice and fit for some royal douchbag.

"You will have your privacy only by that curtain." Sub-Zero said.

"What, are you going to watch me or something?" I joked.

Sub-Zero didn't crack a smile, or anything for that matter. "Get some sleep."

With that, he just left. He roughly closed the glass door, moved the curtain over it, and left me wanting only to curl up and cry.

* * *

I rolled around the bed, contemplating how I would approach Smoke again. I had already apologized, but he obviously didn't want to see me or speak with me...

"Ugh...I screwed myself over big time..." I groaned.

I simply couldn't sleep. It was already one fourty-seven in the morning and I was still wide awake...I would surely pay for it in the morning, so I had to get as much sleep as I could. I rolled to my side and tried to get some shut eye. Everything with Smoke would be alright...right? I mean, he took me in, he took care of me...he'd do it again, right? It was a big mistake on my part, and I _was_ sorry...

There was a soft shuffling near the window. I shot up and stared at the window for a little while, the moon beaming peacefully through.

"Probably my imagination..." I sighed as I lay back down.

There was more shuffling however. I slowly glanced at the window and noticed a figure. Holy crackerjacks, was I about to die? I needed to get Sub-Zero, but I was too afraid to leave the bed...maybe if I moved fast enough...oh, if only I had Smoke's abilities right now!

"**Get up.**"

...Aww, crap. Scorpion? Really? Right now?

And how right I was. Scorpion stepped out from the shadows, his arms crossed as usual, and his glare just as prominent. I sighed and rolled off of the bed.

"Why do you insist on starting so early." I mumbled.

"Hurry up." Scorpion demanded.

I got to my feet and started to stretch very slowly. I wanted to test this guy's limits too. Yeah, I was looking for trouble...probably not the smartest thing to do, especially here.

"So, where are we gonna do this. Training grounds as usual, or what?" I asked lazily.

Scorpion opened the glass door and tore the curtains that covered it. I gasped and couldn't help but wonder if Sub-Zero would blame me for it. Dammit, what if he did? Sub-Zero jumped from his concentrated state and stood his ground. Scorpion walked past him and Sub-Zero watched his movements.

"Scorpion-"

"I am training the girl. Shut up."

"It's too early, she-"

"**I am training the girl!**"

Sub-Zero sighed and glanced at me. He nodded his head once.

"Right. Come along, Ama."

I put my shoes on and followed both Scorpion and Sub-Zero to the training grounds. Both of them kept their distance from one another, the tension between them nothing short of a mystery. Once we arrived at the grounds, Sub-Zero stood off to the side.

"Girl. Face me." Scorpion spat.

I did as he commanded and suddenly felt an undeniable pain; it felt like a bowling ball was tossed carelessly to the left side of my face. Blood spurted from my lips and my vision became blurry.

"Get up." Scorpion boomed.

I staggered to my feet and tried to find where he was. He roughly grabbed my wrists and twisted them behind my back, putting more pressure the more I moved.

"Ahh!" I screamed.

"You are weak." He hissed in to my ear as he released me. I fell forward and grabbed my wrists, somehow eager to grant them comfort. Scorpion watched me just as he had watched the servant boy; ready to kill. I collected my thoughts and looked up at him slowly.

"I am _not_ weak." I hissed.

I ran towards him, screaming at the top of my lungs, prepared to bring him down. He moved out of the way just as I touched his attire and punched my gut as hard as he could. I doubled over in pain, struggling for breath.

"You _are_ weak. I've always seen it. Training you is a waste of time." Scorpion huffed.

Tears were running down my face. I wasn't sad, no. His words angered me, made me want to charge at him like a raging bull. He didn't seem to care how his words affected me, which angered me further.

"Stop crying and get up." He demanded once again.

I clutched my stomach and watched as my blood came out as strings from my mouth. He wouldn't disencourage me; this bastard was going down.

I stared at him for a while, trying to figure out what he would do next. Sure, he was faster than I was, but that didn't guarantee that he was smarter. I watched his movements from his slight jerks to his breathing. The most noticable thing about him was his breathing; whenever it quickened, he was about to attack. And at that moment, it quickened. Just as he stormed towards me, I moved out of the way and watched as he paused, his fist raised high. A silent smirk ran across my face as he turned to face me.

"I am not weak, _Scorpion._" I said, the smirk still present on my face.

Scorpion continued to stare at me, his body shifted. "Prove it to me."

He rushed at me again and I gasped once I realized that he took out his blade.

"Scorpion."

His voice stopped Scorpion and startled me. Sub-Zero stepped in to the middle of the grounds, his arms crossed. "She knows nothing of weapons as of yet."

"I am training her, piss off." Scorpion growled.

"She is vulnerable to weapons. She will die if you-"

"I said piss off!" Scorpion hollered.

"Do you forget who you are talking to, Specter?!"

"I never do, pompous! Move out of the way!"

"Now, you see here-"

"Could you two shut up?!" I snarled. Their arguing was really starting to get on my nerves, it felt like I was in the presence of two teenage boys instead of two masters whom I have grown to admire.

"Look, how about both of you train me today. I'm sick and tired of hearing you two argue!"

"Fine." Scorpion mumbled. "We can get you to learn faster."

"Whatever." I spat, annoyed. "How are we going to do this."

Sub-Zero and Scorpion looked at each other, nodded slightly, then back at me.

"Run." Both of them said simultaneously.

Septuple dammit.


	14. Something Peculiar

**"The girl. What else is there about her?"**

"The only thing that we can find is that she knows about future events. She seems fond of many of the people here." Quan Chi sighed.

"Future events...she can then discover more about my reign." Shao Kahn mumbled.

"It is guaranteed, Emperor."

Shao Kahn tilted his head back and rubbed his chin. He then shifted on his throne, satisfied with what he was hearing yet troubled over the fact that this girl was not under his control. "Where is she from."

"An unsubstantial Japanese village. From what I have recently discovered, she is not to return to her home because of the Elder Gods themselves; it seems that they are stopping her."

"Obviously because she has psychic abilities. Bring her to me."

"It is not that simple, emperor. She is currently in the Lin Kuei palace training under Sub-Zero and Scorpion's supervision." Quan Chi objected, bowing his head slightly

"Isn't Scorpion under your command?"

Quan Chi paused for a moment. "Yes, emperor."

"The fool is willing to do anything for his fallen kin. Command Scorpion to bring her to me, immediately."

Quan Chi didn't respond as quickly as Shao Kahn would have liked, making him impatient.

"Are there any problems with my request, sorcerer?!"

"No, emperor." Quan Chi replied quickly.

Shao Kahn slowly began to tense up. "Bring her here to me, alive. If this wench knows the future, so be it. The Elder Gods may still be contemplating why she should stay, but the answer is clear to me; she will be of great service to me."

* * *

Scorpion watched as she punched Sub-Zero's hand, flinching occasionally but maintaining a straight face, intent on succeeding. He sighed as he watched her and began to notice the little things about her; her hair was matted when it was still, but once she moved, it flowed along with her. She was wearing new clothes, a gray shinobi shozoko along with her worn tennis shoes. She sweated like a pig, but she didn't seem to mind anymore...she seemed more determined, more self aware, her self esteem still flimsy, yet building with each passing day.

Many months had passed. The Thunder God had not yet come to state her significance, so she had been staying with them for too long a time. Scorpion grew with angst and impatience, wanting to carry on with his original mission but simply couldn't because of the girl. He couldn't simply approach the Thunder God and demand why she was so obligated to stay, Raiden's own presence traveling through many realms at once.

He looked away from her for a quick moment and recollected his thoughts. She was a plague and meant nothing; he had a mission, and it didn't involve her. She wasn't important to him...or at least, she shouldn't have been. He had noticed himself taking more action while training her, scolding her for every mistake and sticking by her if she did something right. But that was what he had to do, thanks to the Thunder God.

"Ama, focus. Do not let pain overtake you." Sub-Zero commanded.

Scorpion watched as she punched Sub-Zero's hand once again, the pain in her face severely present. He scoffed and looked away; training involved pain, whether the pupil liked it or not. She had to feel pain, that was inevitable. He heard her pained grunts and tried not to look at her.

"Sub-Zero, how much longer?" She complained.

_'Her usual route. She never ceases to complain.'_ Scorpion thought.

"Enough complaining. I will hear no more of it. You will continue." Sub-Zero scolded.

"That's right." Scorpion said to himself.

Instead of trying once again to convince Sub-Zero that she couldn't continue, she simply...continued. She didn't mutter another word, her bloodied hands beginning to remind Scorpion of his days as a novice.

"Come on. You have the will, Ama." Sub-Zero encouraged.

Scorpion watched her once again, tears beginning to stream down her face, her grunts becoming louder and more confident. As he watched, he began to realize that Sub-Zero was right; the girl did have potential. And maybe, just maybe, she was beginning to realize it. At the same time, he began to realize Sub-Zero's own affiliation with her increased massively. The Cyromancer wasn't as impatient with her, he shared his skills like they were something one could pick up easily. A burst of jealousy pierced him, his own self control beginning to wanting to impress her, to please her, as if his presence didn't instill awe in her already...awe, or fear?

"Scorpion."

He turned quickly and stood in a defensive stance. Quan Chi slowly approached him, his black eyes penetrating right through Scorpion's souless gaze.

"What do you want." Scorpion huffed as he relaxed.

"Why are you not on your mission? Do you no longer wish to avenge your family and clan?" Quan Chi asked.

Scorpion tensed up. "I have been commanded to train an unimportant girl."

"An unimportant girl? Who has commanded you?"

"The Thunder God."

"Ha, that only highlights how insignificant your current mission is." Quan Chi smirked.

"What do you want?!" Scorpion roared.

Quan Chi raised his hand. "Calm yourself, Scorpion."

Scorpion glanced back at Ama. "Leave me."

"It seems that your family and clan are of no importance anymore, considering how this girl abruptly came in to the picture and stole the limelight away from them."

"Don't you dare!" Scorpion hollered.

Quan Chi smirked. "Do you have any idea of how easy it is to be rid of her?"

Scorpion froze. Quan Chi smiled at the opportunity and continued. "The emperor Shao Kahn wishes to see her."

"What for." Scorpion snapped

"What does it matter to you, Specter? You have expressed that you care little for this girl, have you not? You have stated her unimportance, so bringing her to Shao Kahn should be no trivial matter."

Scorpion knew that Quan Chi was right. The girl was annoying and she learned slowly. But what mattered was, she was learning.

"If you want me to take the girl to him, you've got the wrong man." Scorpion huffed, crossing his arms.

"Pity." Quan Chi said carelessly. "You value a girl over your own blood, your own friends, your own clan members."

"Enough!" Scorpion hollered, slamming Quan Chi against the wall. "My family and clan mean more to me than anybody else!"

"Prove it. You will bring the girl to Shao Kahn, Scorpion. Under my order. I will keep my promise, the promise I made the moment I resurrected you, but you make things harder for yourself as long as you refuse my command."

Scorpion released Quan Chi and stared back at Ama.

"I expect the girl to be with Shao Kahn in three days. If not, I will take the girl myself, and the blood of your precious family and clan will continue to cry out to you, begging to know why you weren't there."

"No!" Scorpion shouted. Just as he was about to attack, Quan Chi was gone. Scorpion rubbed his temples and tried to re-focus his thoughts.

"Excellent, Ama. You have improved. Continue to punch the column I have shown you and your hands will become used to the pain. Trust me."

Ama nodded as she poured water over her damaged hands. Scorpion watched as the water ran down her hands, her occasional wince seemed to pain him only slightly.

"You are done for the day, Ama. You may leave." Sub-Zero said.

Ama bowed quickly before running away from the training grounds. Sub-Zero watched after her, his hands behind his back.

"You seem to have no problem in staring at us, Specter. Why don't you join us, as you have done earlier?" Sub-Zero asked.

Scorpion teleported towards Sub-Zero, his glare unmistakable as always. "I was observing her, just as you do, Cyromancer."

"Mhm. Do you talk to yourself regularly?" Sub-Zero asked as he cocked his eyebrow.

Scorpion paused. "What did you hear."

"Your voice. That was about it, as far as that goes. Is something the matter? Preferably, something that has to do with our pupil?"

"No." Scorpion spat quickly.

"Hmph. As expected. Regardless, I have scheduled for her to train with Liu Kang tomorrow morning. He will teach her more about inner peace and how to use it in battle."

"Liu Kang? Pssh, that so-called 'warrior' knows nothing of combat."

"He has represented Earthrealm in the past Mortal Kombat tournaments."

"That means nothing."

"Well, what you say means nothing. He is a skilled warrior, and he will be able to help Ama's already growing progress."

Scorpion huffed and crossed his arms. Sub-Zero stared at him for a while and eventually asked, "What do you have against the girl?"

"She is in the way of what I deem important. I can not simply execute you knowing that she is here."

"And why not?" Sub-Zero asked. "Is her opinion of me important to you now?"

"No. It never has been."

"Then why don't you kill me?"

Scorpion stared at the ground. "I don't want to train her alone."

"You're lying to yourself and to me. The sad thing is, you know it."

Scorpion grew impatient and full of anxiousness. "She means nothing to me, alright?"

"I never said she did."

"What about you? You have given her refuge since your little minion's outburst towards her, you have taken care in training her-"

"I admire her strength. I admire her willingness and her passion. I have grown to be accepting of her."

"So you have grown to admire the girl."

"Yes, I have."

Scorpion stiffened. "You fool. She will grow to be just like Frost."

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrows. "Do not compare her to Frost. She is nothing like her."

Scorpion stopped himself; why was he arguing with his arch-enemy about a girl? Who the hell was she for him to even argue over?

"Are you two done?"

Sub-Zero and Scorpion saw Liu Kang, his hand on his hip and his eyebrow raised. Sub-Zero cleared his throat.

"Kang, you're here early."

"The hill that leads to this place is killer. I didn't want to have to worry about climbing it and wasting my energy to the point where I couldn't train this girl you spoke of earlier."

"That makes sense. Are you in need of anything?"

"No, not at the moment. May I meet the young woman?"

"Of course. Come with me."

* * *

Sub-Zero lead Liu Kang from the training grounds, leaving Scorpion to himself once again. He scoffed, somehow knowing how Ama would react once she saw the so-called, "Earthrealm savior."

"Now, I need for you to know a few things before you meet her." Sub-Zero said slowly.

"Alright, shoot." Liu Kang encouraged.

"She becomes...hyperactive whenever she meets one who has been involved in the tournaments. She...squeals and, as she puts it, turns in to this thing called a fan-girl."

"A what-what?"

"...You'll see."

Sub-Zero opened the door to his bedroom and noticed Ama combing her hair with her fingers.

"Ama."

She turned quickly, her eyes wide and expecting the worst. "Don't tell me that we really aren't done training and that you've tricked me like you did the other night."

"No. In fact, I would like for you to meet somebody."

Sub-Zero opened the door wider, Liu Kang entered slowly. Ama's eyes widened as he approached her slowly, his hand extended and ready for a nice and friendly hand shake.

"Hello there. I am-"

"Liu Kang!" Ama squealed, jumping with absolute joy.

Liu Kang's eyebrows furrowed as Ama took his hand and shook it with all of her might. "Yes. Uh...how did you-"

"Technology. She knew our codenames before we could even introduce ourselves." Sub-Zero smirked.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about her not forgetting my name. You are Ama, correct?"

Ama nodded quickly. Liu Kang then took his hand away from her firm grip and massaged it gently. "Right. I will not be training you today, assuming that you have already trained with Sub-Zero."

"That's right." Ama said, slightly composed.

"I assure you Ama, my training consists of focusing on inner peace, which will help you immensely in battle. Eventually, I will teach you offensive attacks. But inner peace is what makes a warrior true."

"I understand."

Liu Kang nodded and just as he was about to leave Sub-Zero's chambers, Ama stopped him.

"Hey, Liu Kang? Quick question..."

"Yes?" He asked expectedly.

"Do I have to call you, 'Master' or anything along those lines?"

Liu Kang looked down for a moment. "Not until we have progressed further in to your training."

"Got it. Thanks!" Ama squeaked.

Sub-Zero and Liu Kang left Ama in the room, Sub-Zero slowly closing the doors.

"There is something peculiar about her." Liu Kang grunted.

"...Come again?" Sub-Zero asked defensively.

"The girl seems to have left some sort of impact on me...are such feelings normal?"

"What do you mean." Sub-Zero demanded.

"Do you not see it how I do? I have not even known the girl for five minutes, but she has somehow...stirred me. There is something _about_ her, I can sense it."

"She is just a young woman who accidentally came here through a video game. It was an accident, there is nothing special about her that I have seen, she has no abilities."

"No abilities? Do you not understand, Sub-Zero? She knew my name before I even had the chance to introduce myself. I assume she has done the same thing towards you. And there _are_ no accidents, there is a _reason_ that she is here."

Sub-Zero opened his mouth to retaliate, but realized the truth in Liu Kang's words. "I'm listening."

"Her knowing us before she even arrived. That is just a _little_ odd, don't you think? The only ones _I know_ who can predict the future are Lord Raiden and Delia, the Edenian sorceress."

"Are you signifying that she is a goddess?" Sub-Zero asked slowly.

"No, I'm not saying that. But, if she knows our names, there _must_ be other things she knows, like the realms themselves, particularly Earthrealm. She could possibly save us from Shao Kahn's dominance!"

"...How did you pick this up, even though you've only known her for a couple of seconds?" Sub-Zero growled, secretly jealous that he himself couldn't pick that up earlier.

"It's just an idea, but it may be crazy enough to work. When I train her tomorrow, I will ask her what else she knows, and report my findings to Lord Raiden. Shao Kahn will stop at nothing to take over our realm, his death never a certainty. _She_ can help us."

Sub-Zero thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright. We will go along with your plan."

Not too far away from them, Scorpion stood perched from one of the high pillars leading to Sub-Zero's room. And he listened to it all.


	15. Liu Kang

**The next morning wasn't any different from what I was beginning to become accustomed to.** Sub-Zero and Scorpion had taken the initiative to train me, just as they were told to do. Sub-Zero had become more...patient with me. Scorpion was no different from when I first started training with him, but what really mattered was that I was learning, my once flimsy arms producing muscle, my legs becoming unyielding because of the constant running that I had to do, which I still hated. As I wrapped a belt around me, securing the uniform that Smoke had given me, I grew with confidence. I would be training with Liu Kang today, the freaking champion and representative of Earthrealm for the Mortal Kombat tournaments. It couldn't get any better than this.

"Ama, are you ready?" Sub-Zero asked, knocking gently on the glass door.

I put my hair-pin in its usual place, smoothed my hair, and nodded. "Ready!"

Sub-Zero came in, his gentle eyes looking me up and down. "Will you be alright?"

...That was weird. He had never asked me that when it came to Scorpion, a_ spawn of Hell,_ but he was asking that when it came to a Shaolin warrior?

"I'll be...fine." I answered.

Sub-Zero nodded once. "I shall accompany you to the training grounds."

"That's not necessary, I know my way by now." I said, staring straight in to his eyes.

"Right. Of course." Sub-Zero replied, looking away shamefully.

"...Are you alright?"

He looked at me once again, his icy eyes somehow turning a deep sapphire. "I'm fine. I suggest you leave now and not keep Kang waiting."

"Right, I was just about to. Thank you, Sub-Zero."

She gave him a sweet smile before speed walking to the training grounds. Sub-Zero watched after her and repeated softly, "I'm fine."

* * *

I was so excited to see what Liu Kang had in store for me. I would be able to talk to him, even ask him questions if he allowed for me to. Once I had reached the training grounds, I saw Liu, his hands clasped together, sitting criss cross applesauce, and his eyes closed. I approached him slowly, ready to expect an attack. Scorpion had done just that with me, and I recall recieving a major ass whipping.

"It is good to know that you arrive earlier than necessary, Ama. Let us begin." Liu Kang stood, his deep brown eyes observing her. "Were your muscles present before your lessons?"

"No, no they weren't." I replied. See, the best part of my growth as a warrior includes not stuttering as much as I used to! Pretty sweet if you ask me!

"Ah, then I see that your training with Sub-Zero and Scorpion has paid off significantly. Come. We will begin with stretching."

"Stretching? What for, are we going to be doing any physical activity?"

"Only slightly. Stretch."

I did as he said. I bent down and tested the limitations of my legs and arms, allowing them to droop as far as they could. I lay down and stretched my back and abdomen, having a feeling that we were going to do something that involved sit-ups and all those painful exercises which I hated with a passion.

"That's enough. Now, sit in an applesauce manner."

"Applesauce...oh, right!" I giggled, sitting criss-cross in a matter of seconds. Liu sat beside me and closed his eyes.

"Now, I want for you to focus on something traumatic that you have experienced. Think of the people who have wronged you, think of those who have hurt you and damaged you."

Whoa, this was starting to get intense...that escalated quickly. I did as he said and those thoughts came quite easily; from my father leaving home, to my life at school, the possibilities for me were endless. I began to cringe once I realized how badly I had been mistreated in my lifetime, and I had concentrated so much to the point where I wanted to punish them personally for making me suffer.

"Good, Ama. I can sense your frustration. You are doing an excellent job."

Hell yeah, I was doing an excellent job. There were so many times in my life where I had been ignored, abandoned, shunned, stabbed in the back; I had begun to get so angry, I started shaking where I sat. Screw all those who saw me suffer and did nothing about it; screw my father for leaving me when I needed him; screw my teachers for not understanding that I was undergoing so much stress all at once; screw my mother for putting so much pressure on me and wanting for me to be perfect, giving me unrealistic goals and forcing me to acheive them; screw those who bullied me and tormented me. What angered me most was that I had accepted it and didn't stand up for myself. I had been the victim, but did nothing about it; I simply stayed the victim.

"Ama."

Liu Kang's voice made me snap right out of my mindset. I had still felt anger, betrayal, hurt, and frankly, I was ready to go back home just so that I could smack some bitches. I didn't want to cry anymore, crying would do nothing for me. If someone tried to hurt me, I would simply defend myself and deliver a flurry of offensive attacks, hopefully killing them.

"It is unmistakable, the pain that you are feeling right now. You have been through much." He said gently.

"Too much." I replied, my voice jagged. It didn't even sound like the real me...it sounded like I had turned in to Scorpion, ready to avenge _only_ myself.

"Now, I want for you to take the people in those feelings and _forgive_ them."

"You _can't_ be serious." I hissed.

Liu Kang nodded. "Forgive them."

"That's ridiculous. I can't just _forgive_ them, it isn't that easy."

"Of course, it never is. But by forgiving them, you give yourself inner peace, and your brutalities, however vicious they may be, will not be taken on your opponent."

"Who cares if I take it out on my opponent, they don't matter. If they pick a fight with me, then they'll get a fight."

"You are still a novice, Ama. You will not be able to take them on, regardless of how determined you are."

"Well, I'll train more. I'll be stronger, faster, better, and nobody will ever bully me ever again, guaranteed."

"But then you will only be fighting for the wrong reasons. You will eventually harm anybody who doesn't agree with you or have the same ideals as you do. By forgiving those who have trespassed you, you give yourself freedom."

"Listen, I know what you're getting at, but I can't simply just forgive them, alright?"

"In order to become a better warrior, you must find inner peace. If you refuse to forgive those who have wronged you, then you can only go so far as a warrior."

"Look at Scorpion, he's a badass when it comes to fighting! He hasn't forgiven Quan Chi for killing his family and clan, his rage is what fuels him in the first place!"

"What?"

Uh oh. Have I said too much? "Forget it!" I blushed.

"Wait a minute, Quan Chi was the one who killed Scorpion's kin?"

"Yes...but you aren't suppossed to know that yet. Actually, you don't really care too much for Scorpion in the first place, so it doesn't really matter to you."

Liu Kang looked down for a moment, taking in her comment. He eventually looked up and retaliated, "Scorpion was an experienced fighter, even before his death. And if you haven't noticed, one of the reasons why Scorpion is a tormented soul is because he never forgave Sub-Zero."

"Yeah, but Sub-Zero didn't do it. The elder Sub-Zero, also known as Bi-Han, was indeed involved in killing Scorpion, but once Scorpion was resurrected by Quan Chi, he discovered that his family and clan had also fallen. He believed that Bi-Han had something to do with the murders of his family and clan. What really bothers me is that he believes that Bi-Han's younger brother, Kuai Liang, has something to do with the murders of his loved ones and he really doesn't. He's just in a misfortunate position, being the younger brother of a man who killed without any remorse. "

'_This girl is astounding. How she happens to know future events as well as past events is mind boggling!_' Liu Kang thought, staring at Ama with mild fascination.

"I must say however, it must be disheartening to be in Scorpion's position...sure, his skill surpasses many warriors...but, you're right. He is a tormented soul in an empty body. But that is why he is one of my favorite characters. Even though he is empty, he fights with a passion, with meaning. He shows others how he feels when he fights, and I've noticed this while training with him. Most of the time, he is tough and cares very little of how fast he is going, or how hard he is pushing me. But rarely, he goes easy on me because he knows that I am still human and can only go so far. Even though he is a dead man, he understands what it is like to be human, and what the limitations are for humans."

I blushed and hid my cheeks in my outfit. "I wish I could help him. He probably wouldn't let me, but it would be nice just to help him out. He's too stubborn to accept it though. Ha, such a man."

"Ha...right..." Liu Kang sighed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"How do you know these things? I have never seen you around here before, yet, you speak as if you know the personal lives of us all."

"Well, I do. I don't mean to sound stalker-ish, but I do know all of you personally. I know that you were an orphan raised by the Shaolin Monks and because you were an impressive pupil, the Shaolin knew that you would be destined to save Earthrealm. Kung Lao was actually suppossed to become a representative of Earthrealm, but refused because he only wanted peace and knew that the Mortal Kombat tournament only promised blood and gore, therefore wanting nothing to do with the tournament itself. Raiden also knew your potential and he himself took you and furthered your training so that you could compete in the Mortal Kombat Tournament, eventually becoming the victor. In the lastest Mortal Kombat game however, I hate how you turn out, so I've learned to block your character out all together, although I admire your skills."

Liu Kang listened with his mouth wide open...maybe I had said too much.

"What happens to me in later events?"

"I don't want to tell you. But, maybe it would help if you don't turn conceited because of your skills. It'll bite you in the ass later."

"Well. That's...good to know I suppose. Say, what else do you know?"

"Well, I know a lot of things about the Mortal Kombat universe!" I beamed. "Just ask me about any person you know."

"Hmm. Kitana."

I smiled broadly. "I know _all about her_, it's ridiculous. Kitana is the Princess and heiress to the Edenian Throne. Her realm was, however, invaded by Shao Kahn when she was just an infant. Shao Kahn killed her father and made Sindel, the Queen of Edenia, his wife. Sindel was so resentful of Shao Kahn, even though he grew fond of her. Sindel's attitude towards Kahn was not at all to his liking, and he didn't want for Kitana to harbor the same feelings for him, having the feeling that she would eventually find out the truth of her origin. Kahn ordered for Shang Tsung to create a replica of Kitana, but a more vicious side to Kitana that he couldn't get out of her. That's where Mileena comes in to play. Sindel knew of this and she didn't want for her only daughter's soul to be corrupted. She also didn't want for Earthrealm souls to suffer as Edenia had suffered, so she sacrificed herself, her own soul merging with Kitana's. So, Kitana knew nothing about her true home, and Mileena was placed under construction, so she knew nothing about Mileena as well. There is so much more to her character...personally, I adore her. She is one of my _favorite_ kombatants."

Liu Kang listened intently and shook his head; he had recalled Kitana telling him the same things, but nothing of a 'Mileena' or knowing anything of her mother's death and why she killed herself. In fact, the Princess blamed herself for her mother's death when it really wasn't her fault. Perhaps...she didn't know it herself. The fact that she was a princess of another realm entirely was new to him, and there was no doubt that she herself didn't even know.

"That is quite impressive...how do you know these things?"

"I've played the games, I've watched the movies, I _know_ this stuff. Mortal Kombat is my passion, my life. I know I sound like a nerd, but without it, I would probably be lost."

"Games? Movies?" Liu Kang asked.

"Yeah, there are many games revolved around the tournaments. They are bloody, sickening to many parents, but to people like me, they are fascinating. The story plot can get a bit confusing, but I can deal with the changes and even learn something new."

"There is to be another tournament. It would be shameful of me to ask you if you would participate, considering your skills are not high enough for such a rigorous battlefield. But I do wish for you to come along and guide us."

"...Guide you?"

"Yes. You see what we have yet to discover, you know what to expect while we are oblivious. You are obviously psychic."

"...And you're obviously crazy. I'm not psychic, I just know my Mortal Kombat history."

"And that can help us, Ama. That can help us against Shao Kahn, that can help us against another Armageddon."

"I'm sorry, I only know up to Mortal Kombat nine, I don't know anything other than that-"

"That is our latest tournament, Ama! You _must_ help us!"

Whoa. I had never felt this needed in...a while. "Really?"

"Yes. You are critical for Earthrealm's success, now I know why the Elder Gods won't let you leave!"

This was _crazy_. I was _not_ psychic, but to Liu Kang, I was. Perhaps to the rest of the Mortal Kombat universe, I was...but it didn't eliminate the fact that the very idea was still crazy. If I had to assist the actual warriors themselves, I could put them in grave danger, and I couldn't live with myself knowing that I was the cause of another person dying because of a decision that I had made. Raiden basically killed off the other good characters in the lastest game, and he was a god for pete's sake. I was _me_. Do you understand? _**Me.**_

"I don't want to endanger everybody else's lives, Liu...I can't."

"Ama, you have no idea how much you would be able to help us-"

"I can't!"

Liu jumped back slightly. I hesitated; of course I wanted the best for them, but I didn't want to direct their every move. "Please understand, Liu..."

Liu Kang was quiet for a few minutes, taking it all in. She was still insecure, unsure of whether her decisions would pay off. What frustrated him slightly was that she knew what was going to happen; she was blessed with such ability. She just didn't see it that way.

"I do not want to rush you in to this, Ama. I am almost certain that this reason is why you should stay. You could _help_ us."

"But I could also be sending you off to your death." I said bitterly.

"Then so be it. There is never a price too high to save Earthrealm."

"I don't have the same mentality as you to, Liu Kang. I can't think that way, especially if one is entrusting their life to me."

"This is the Mortal Kombat universe, Ama. There are some things that need to be faced, whether or not one wishes to face them or not."

"You're asking me to take control!"

"Because you're the best we've got!"

This was insanity. I couldn't do this, I couldn't lead them, I couldn't _guide_ them. They were my obsessions, the game itself was my obsession, but what was being asked of me was ridiculous.

"Wait, can't we just _wait_ for Lord Raiden to explain why I'm here? Don't just jump to the assumption that I can, what, _save Earthrealm._"

"You don't understand how great your potential is."

"And you're starting to get annoying! Just let Raiden explain whenever he swings by, yeah?!" I shouted.

Liu Kang threw me a frustrated expression, and I threw one right back at him. What he was telling me, which was the same thing, was starting to get more than a little annoying. Tears began to leak from my eyes; I had to clear my head, clear my thoughts. I bolted to the nearest exit and didn't look back.

* * *

Sub-Zero was just about to watch how Ama's training session was coming along until he noticed her running figure. He stopped and she slammed right in to his chest.

"Dammit!" She swore, trying to maneuver her way around him.

"Where are you going." He demanded.

"Anywhere." She muttered in to his chest.

He touched her shoulder and slowly pushed her off of himself, observing her face. She was crying, her tears resembling little waterfalls, her nose was red and her cheeks a bright blush. He was uptight just seeing her in this state; it felt like the sessions of emotional training didn't pay off.

"Why are you crying." He forced himself to ask.

"Liu Kang isn't making any sense."

What the hell did she mean by that? Was his way of teaching incomprehensible to her?

"What do you mean." He urged.

"He said that I could help you guys in the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament just because I know what is going to happen next. He's expecting for me to take control of everything, Sub-Zero! I can't do it!"

Her sobs grew louder and made Sub-Zero wince. What was he supposed to do in the presence of a crying woman? Pat her back? Maybe that would work. He pulled her right back in to his chest and he patted her back. Her sobs grew the more he patted, so he knew _that_ wasn't the right solution.

"What am I suppossed to do?" She wept.

"Uh. There...there?" He said."

She paused slightly. "That doesn't help me, Sub-Zero!"

He wasn't an expert when it came to women, but even he knew that he wasn't helping her. "Ama, you should take his words in to consideration. He may be right."

"Or he may be a lunatic! I can't do what he says I can!"

"Women and their confidence issues. Ama, you can do what is being asked of you. Keep in mind, Lord Raiden has not yet proposed why you must stay."

"But what if it _is_ for that reason?"

"Then you will take responsibility for it. You will carry out the task, and you will do it without complaining."

"It isn't fair, Sub-Zero!"

"How is it not? Have you not expressed to me and to Smoke how you hated feeling unwanted, unneeded?"

She stopped herself before replying. He knew he was right, so he continued. "If that is the reason you must stay, then you will be able to be of assistance and feel those feelings which you so crave. We may end up _needing_ you, Ama."

He almost want to punch himself when he expressed the '_needing_' part. She had been training with him for over two months, and he hated to admit it, but he missed her on the days when she trained with Scorpion. He wanted to see her improve, he wanted to watch her better herself, and now that she was, she was going to throw it all away. He grabbed Ama by her chin and made her look up at him, her dark eyes shimmering with uncertainty.

"You _can_ do what is being asked of you. I know you can. You have proven many things to me, and no doubt, yourself. Stop accepting less of yourself and just do it."

She stared in to his eyes and suddenly had a newfound confidence. He was right; she could do more things than she ever gave herself credit for. If she was to help the Earthrealm citizens by helping the Earthrealm warriors first, then she had to do what she was assigned to do, no questions asked and no complaints. Sub-Zero's words however instilled more tears, and she began to weep in to his hand.

"Oh, Sub-Zero!" She whimpered, her tears landing on his hand.

'_Ugh, why is she crying now?!_' Was all he thought.

* * *

After chatting with Sub-Zero, I walked my way back to his room. I noticed a small puff of smoke just outside of his bedroom doors and, finding it a little odd, opened the doors only to find Smoke seated on one of the living chairs. My eyes widened as I looked at him; I hadn't seen him for a good month...or two. I was ecstatic to just be looking at him again, but I had recalled why I had moved to Sub-Zero's room in the first place, his outburst towards me so severe that he kicked me out.

"Hello, Ama." He said strongly, his face straight and firm.

"Smoke..." I whispered.

He stood and walked towards me. I took a small step back and watched as his face went from straight to sorrowful. "It's been awhile."

"Uh...yeah..." I replied.

There was a long, awkward silence between us.

"Smoke-"

"Ama-"

We stopped ourselves.

"Just...let me start. Okay?" He asked gently.

"Alright..."

"I...I'm sorry. My outburst towards you was unnecessary in every way, I never meant to hurt you and make you leave-"

"Smoke-"

"I'm not finished. I should have never yelled at you like that, and I feel ashamed simply standing in front of you. It was wrong of me, and I beg your forgiveness."

"...Are you done?"

He gave me a befuddled look. "Yes."

"Thank you for your apology. Know that I forgive you, one hundred percent. But it was my fault, Smoke, I went through your personal things when I hadn't asked you if I could. They were your personal writings, your thoughts, and I invaded. It was my fault, and although your attitude towards me frightened me, I deserved it. Besides, it really knocked some sense in to me."

His once guilty gaze turned soft. "I can see. Have you been gaining muscle?"

"You know it!" I giggled, flexing for him. "Are you aroused by my sexy muscles?"

"Sure, I guess so. Hey, maybe you could compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament coming up, considering how 'buff' you're becoming!" He joked.

...Mortal Kombat tournament...that just made me think of what Liu Kang was telling me! Oh noes! More tears began to well up and I sobbed in to Smoke's chest.

_'Oh hell, what do I do?'_ Was all he thought.


	16. Affections

**After my little episode with Smoke, I returned to Liu Kang and continued my training with him. **He kept stressing the fact that I had to forgive those who had hurt me, but his words really went in one ear and out the other. He didn't go through what I went through, he couldn't possibly understand.

"We're done for the day, Ama. I suggest you keep in mind what I have told you about."

"What, about forgiveness or about the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament?" I asked.

"Both."

"Right. I'll...I'll think about it."

I bowed slightly to him and set off to Sub-Zero's chambers. Smoke was determined to keep me there "for my own safety" and I understood. I had seen the enenra side of him in the latest Mortal Kombat, and that was probably why I hadn't seen him in so long; he had to control that side of himself. I must have really pushed his buttons, and I wasn't proud of it at all.

I stopped walking, feeling a sudden chill run down my spine. I looked around, aware and alert as to what may happen. Scorpion's words came to mind: "You will always feel when an enemy is near just by the way your body reacts. Listen to your body."

I felt like running, getting away from whatever may have been threatening me, but I had to face it sooner or later, whether it be in this world or in the world I grew up in. I clenched my fists, preparing to fight. Suddenly, a blast of something incredibly cold hit my body and made me fly against the wall.

'Sub-Zero.' I concluded, wiping away the tiny icy shards from my body. "Show yourself, I know it's you!"

Nothing. The chill was still present, so I knew to stand guard and protect myself. The chill in my back increased, and I rolled out of the way just in time; Sub-Zero's kori blade had nearly pierced my chest.

"Not cool!" I shouted.

Sub-Zero jumped down from wherever the hell he was and put his hand on his hip. "Impressive. Explain why you didn't evade my first attack."

"I don't know, can't you keep praising the fact that I wasn't almost killed? Again?"

He huffed and lowered his head. "If you can not evade the smaller attacks, then what use is my praise? You would then allow for seemingly small projectiles to hit you, and the smallest projectiles cause the most damage."

"Well, keep throwing small projectiles at me and I'll probably learn!" I flashed a big grin at him and continued walking.

* * *

'Her wit is going to get her killed someday.' Sub-Zero fumed, watching her. What made things worse for him was that he didn't know why he was angry about that, of all things. Wait, why should he even _care_? Above his abilities and impressive fighting skills, he began to realize that he was only human, and humans had desires and urges that they needed to have fulfilled. Just as he thought these things, he noticed Ama stop.

"Is something the matter?" He asked, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

She paused for a minute and turned around slowly. "I want to tell you something."

He thought for a moment. "What is it?"

She looked down for awhile. What was going through her mind-

In a matter of seconds, she threw herself on to Sub-Zero's stomach and wrapped her arms around his waist. Sub-Zero stood in shock, his arms in the air and his eyes plastered on the top of her head.

"Thank you." She mumbled in to his torso, his body vibrating slightly by the sound of her voice.

"For what."

"For everything. For taking me in to your room, for taking care of me, for training me. I don't know how I could ever repay you, besides play as you and kick ass while doing so. I still have to master your character anyways."

She tightened her embrace, he grunted slightly. She looked up at him, her big eyes beaming in to his. "I really appreciate it."

He didn't know what to say to that. Was he supposed to just accept it and send her off on her merry way? She dug her face in to his stomach and sighed. "It would be nice if you hugged me back."

"Why."

"Because it would be a courteous thing to do to someone who is hugging you."

"I have never asked for you to hug me. I have never even expected a thank you."

Her grip on him loosened. "Well, I gave you one. Can't you just accept it?"

"Fine."

"What do you mean, fine? I'm thanking you for all of the good that you have done towards me and you barely even accept it?!"

"I have accepted your thanks, what are you whining about?!"

"You can't be serious!" She shouted, shoving him away from her as hard as she could. "How naive I was, just to believe that you would accept a freaking thank you! I don't see how it is ridiculous or offensive, I'm_ thanking_ you for pete's sake!"

"Watch your tone, Ama." Sub-Zero warned.

"You know what, I'm done with that! Screw you! Forget I had ever thanked you, you self absorbed jackass!"

"Ama!"

"What?!"

He slid toward her quickly and grabbed her jaw. She struggled slightly, but he tightened his grip and made clear to her that if she moved, she would break her own neck.

"You will _not_ speak to me that way."

"Says who?!"

He was so sick and tired of her sharp tongue, he just wanted to rip it off. '_Why is she so complicated. Why couldn't she just accept things? She was doing such a great job earlier, and now she is talking back to me, like she has the authority._'

"I know I'm not Sareena, but could you at _least_ show me some common courtesy?"

"Enough, Ama."

"Enough of what?!"

"I said enough!"

He tightened his grip on her and he noticed as she squirmed slightly. Eventually, a sly grin ran across her lips. "What are you going to do, dislocate my jaw? Scorpion already did that for me."

"Your attitude is inexcusable, Ama."

"Yeah, and so is yours."

"I am your master. My conduct towards you is strictly professional, nothing more, nothing less!"

"Well, I don't see it that way!"

"What are you talking about, Ama-"

"I've liked you since the beginning, you idiot!"

Sub-Zero froze. Ama exhaled gently, but eventually picked up the pace as tears ran down her face. "I've always...liked you. Ever since you were first introduced to me in the games have I liked you. And just meeting you...meeting you has...dammit, I hate crying!"

Sub-Zero waited for her to calm down, her warm, salty tears spilling on his hand. Once she inhaled, she continued: "Meeting you has only confirmed my affections for you."

He simply stared at her. He didn't know what to think, what to do. Part of him, however, was satisfied just by hearing her say that. He could not remember a time when a woman had felt such emotions for him, besides Sareena. But even with Sareena, those feelings were originally for his older brother, not himself. It was all new to him, so his confusion was evident. Ama stared at him as well and waited for him to deny her.

"It's okay. I don't expect for you to feel the same way, Sub-Zero. I just needed to let you know...which sucks now, because, I mean, you're still training me and everything is probably going to be awkward now...what a bombshell."

He kept staring at her, unsure of what to say.

"Alright, could you let go now? Things are getting a little uncomfortable."

He blinked, looked down, then maintained eye contact once again. "It would be dishonorable of me not to mention to you how...fond I have been of you over the past few months. You have made much progress and...your strength continues to astound me."

Her eyes widened to his remark. "Really? Huh...thank you..."

They stood there, his hand still cupped tightly around her jaw. She squirmed slightly and whispered, "Could you let me go? Seriously, the position you've left me in is...far from comfortable."

"Right." He finally replied, letting her go.

They stared at one another once again before Ama bowed to him and turned to leave. Sub-Zero stared after her, wondering what he would say to her when next they met.


	17. Protection

**"Why is the girl not yet in my possession?!"**

Shao Kahn slammed his fist against the armrest of his throne. Quan Chi looked up at him, his eyes hinting some sort of anger management course.

"Emperor, I have given Scorpion the chance to bring the girl to you in a matter of three days."

"Three days?!"

"If the girl is not with you in three days, I will take her myself, causing further pain to Scorpion for disobeying."

"I don't care for that undead piece of shit, I want the girl!"

"You must be patient, emperor. Scorpion's family and clan mean more to him than this girl."

"How is that warranted, sorcerer?!"

"One of the the reasons why he is resurrected is because of his undying dedication for them. He would not rest because of _them_, surely he would not let them down for _one_ girl."

"You make this undead man sound like a fool, sorcerer. You forget how skilled he is, such skill is matched with the highest of intelligence! There is no doubt that _it_ has some common sense!"

Kahn slamed his fist once again and leaned forward menacingly. "If the girl is not here by the time you have set, you _will_ be punished. Do I make myself clear?!"

"Quite, emperor."

* * *

Sub-Zero stared off in to the night sky, thinking of her words to him.

_"I've liked you since the beginning, you idiot!"_

He wanted to strangle himself; how could he not know what to say? He had made her look like a twit just because he didn't know what to say.

"Bro."

Sub-Zero turned around and saw Smoke leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed.

"What?"

"That. Was. _Paaainful_."

"What are you talking about?" Sub-Zero asked impatiently.

"The conversation you had with Ama. I don't even know if I should call it a conversation, what the hell was that?"

"Shut up, Smoke." Sub-Zero sighed as he continued looking at the stars.

"Do you like her?"

"What?"

"Do you_ like_ her."

"I...I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I don't know!"

"You aren't making anything easy for you, or for her. Do you like her, or what?"

"She is admirable-"

"What the hell does that mean."

"Smoke."

"What? From what I can tell, she's serious about liking you. It isn't shady or questionable like Sareena's infatuation."

"Mmhm."

"Ha. The Grandmaster should have brought us in to the presence of girls while we were still novices. It would have helped us a great deal, especially when it comes to the subject of infatuation." Smoke sighed.

"It _would_ have helped." Sub-Zero mumbled.

"So, you do like her." Smoke clarified.

"I don't know, Smoke. I don't know what to think, she's my pupil."

"Okay, take the fact that she is your pupil out of the picture. What say you now?"

"...I don't know..."

"Yup, you're a lost cause."

"What about you, Smoke? From what I know, you know nothing about women."

"That's where you're wrong, my dear compadre. I know more about women than you give me credit for. For example, when a woman professes her admiration for you, you don't just _stare at her._"

"Leave me alone, would you? I have to think."

"About Ama?"

"Smoke, I swear!"

"Look, I'm just saying this because I've seen her recently. She looks confused and downright embarrassed. If you like her too, profess it or she may go for someone else. Believe it or not, there are more eligible bachelors out there."

"...Like who?"

"Johnny Cage for one. Kung Lao, Liu Kang-"

"Liu Kang has feelings for Kitana."

"Things change, Kuai. Look, she trains with Scorpion tomorrow. Why don't you pull her aside and straighten things out with her."

"What do I tell her?"

"Tell her what you feel in your heart, man." Smoke placed his fist over his heart. "She'll accept you, regardless of what you say. From what I recall, she thinks you're a misunderstood hunk."

Sub-Zero found comfort in those words; it had seemed that Ama's own opinions, when they weren't disrespectful towards him...ended up mattering to him. He had an adrenaline feeling once those words came out of her mouth, but he still wasn't sure what to tell her, or what to do. He didn't want to look like a fool in front of her...but didn't he basically make a fool out of her? And did she really tell Smoke that she thought that he was a hunk?

"I trust that you'll make the right decision, Kuai. Don't keep her waiting too long. She's like a bird; she lands where she knows she is welcome, and flies when she feels uncomfortable."

Smoke vanished, leaving Sub-Zero to think of his options.

* * *

One day. That was all he had.

He couldn't believe how fast the days flew by, and the next day would be his day to train her. That was the perfect opportunity to knock her out and bring her to Kahn, just as he had been commanded to do.

Scorpion watched as the stars twinkled and he could only remember the look in his beloved's eye. He had once compared her eyes to the stars, her skin to the paleness of the moon, her love for him and for their son to the warm rays of the sun. He loved her; he still loved her. Her body lay broken the last he saw her, her eyes closed peacefully, but her own soul screaming, "Hanzo, why didn't you save us?!"

He looked away from the stars and inspected his surroundings. He eventually saw Ama trying to brush her hair from Sub-Zero's oversized window, but her knots were too dominant. She pulled her hair so hard, she fell over.

_'Hmph. Hopeless.'_ He thought, his gaze still on her.

She stood back up, rubbed the side of her head, and continued trying. He groaned and looked back at the stars. He wanted to continue his original mission, so what was the big deal with bringing her to Shao Kahn? She meant nothing to him anyhow. She was simply in the way, and that wouldn't change until he took her to Kahn.

At the same time however, he knew he couldn't simply just...do it. He was still a being of honor, a being who valued the life of another human being until the mission said otherwise. If he took Ama to Shao Kahn, what would become of her life? Why did Kahn even need her? He didn't want to take her to him without knowing what would happen. But...why did he even feel that way? Why did he feel that he _had_ to?

He sighed over his own conflicting emotions, which were still questionable to him because he was a dead man. He wanted his family and his comrades back, and he was willing to do whatever it took. But this girl...somehow stopped that mindset. He knew what Shao Kahn was capable of, and he didn't want for Ama to fall in to such treacherous hands. She _was_ still a human after all, a vulnerable human at that, and he couldn't just betray her like that. She had undergone his intense training, she had experienced his wrath although undeserving of it, and she had learned how to treat fractured body parts because of him. He felt like she could tolerate him, and it somehow meant...a lot. He had recalled training young men, but they would run because his fighting styles, afraid that he would kill them, and he probably would have. But she, a young woman, stayed with him, determined to learn all she could.

He watched her again and noticed that she was brushing her hair without any trouble. She had a stubborn streak to her, but that made a good warrior; the stubborn will never to give up, never to lose, never to die.

He knew not to take her to Shao Kahn; now he felt confirmed with his decision.

* * *

"Smoke!"

I searched everywhere for him, but couldn't find him. It was more than a little odd...whenever I called him, he was there in a matter of seconds, or he would at least reply.

"Smoke, where are you? I need your help!"

A small group of Lin Kuei members watched me as I continued my search for him, whistling at me as if I were a dog.

"Her boobs are getting _bigger! _See, I told you!"

"Ooh, baby. You _were_ right."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at them. "Smoke!"

One of the men walked towards me and extended his hand.

"Come on, sweetheart, you know you want-"

I grabbed his middle finger and bent it back. He yowled, holding his hand to his chest. "You bitch!"

He tried to grab me, but I delivered a round-house kick to his face and tripped him. As he lay there, I stepped on his stomach, making him cough.

"I will not tolerate any of this. Leave me alone. All of you."

The other men stared at me with slight admiration and left. The one I was still holding down managed to stagger away...and I had never felt more proud of myself than in that one moment. I had stood my ground, and attacked a douchebag.

"Very well, Ama."

I turned around and saw Smoke, his arms crossed and his lips curved in an amused manner. "You are really picking up what you are being taught."

"Thanks!" I beamed. "Why aren't you wearing your mask?"

"I just needed to take a breather from it. Besides, this is my home. I can walk around without my mask."

I giggled and twirled a small section of my hair. "I have to talk to you about something."

"Shoot."

"Well...I had just...told Sub-Zero that I...that I...uhm...that..."

"That you like him."

"...How'd you know?!"

"Well, you're showing it right now just by the way you are speaking with me. Plus, I already know."

"Oh...you do?"

"Mhmm."

"Was I being _that_ obvious?"

"Sometimes, yes. But it was all confirmed with me once you told him yourself."

I froze. "Wait. You were...there?"

He nodded. I tried to punch him in the stomach, but he stopped me. "I suggest you try not to hit me. I can take you down a lot faster than you can take me."

"Why were you eavesdropping?!"

"Why can't I. This is my home, remember?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't give you the right to eavesdrop on something so personal!"

"Calm down. You have made it obvious in other ways, not just this once."

"...Oh my gosh, how?!"

"Calm down, Ama. I've already talk to him about it."

"Really?! What did he say, did he say anything? Does he feel the same way? Oh, of course not, I'm probably not pretty enough-"

Smoke put his index finger on her lips, stopping her. "Would you stop rambling, you're giving me a migrane."

"Smoke, I don't know what to do!"

"Stop worrying, you're only making it worse. I've given him some time to think, but don't worry."

"Don't worry? Smoke, I have to_ see_ him again. If I don't get a definite answer, I'm going to hurl myself out a window!"

"You wouldn't do that."

"...Yeah, I wouldn't. But you know what I mean!"

"Give him some time. He hates feeling rushed and it causes him to stop thinking about it all together. I don't think that's what you want."

"That's far from what I want!"

"Then leave him be. Whatever he decides, he decides."

"...Smoke?"

"Hmm?"

"Do...do you think he'll deny me?"

"...Know that it will be alright, whatever he chooses." He lifted her chin. "I promise."

* * *

I waited for Scorpion just outside of the training grounds, as usual. This time however, he didn't show up. I continued waiting for him, but he never showed. I figured that our training session was canceled, so I started walking back to Sub-Zero's chambers. That's when I felt something sharp pierce my chest. I gasped and looked down, noticing that it was was a shuriken. I looked up and saw nothing.

"He's testing me." I concluded, removing the shuriken and closing my eyes. This was Scorpion I was facing this time, so I had to be twice as cautious. He would kill me if I wasn't being alert, and I thanked God that I knew his moves. He was quick, there was no doubt about that at all, and that could prove to be my downfall when facing him. I simply reminded myself; if you can't see him, he's probably at a higher level. Don't expect anything more than that.

I opened my eyes and put my hands together. This would surely be a challenge, but I could take it. I would survive this round, whether I won or lost.

I felt a blast of something hot hit my back. As I turned around, there was Scorpion, and before I could even blink, he punched me right in the face. I stumbled back, but before I could even fall, he delivered another blow on my back.

"Get up and fight me." He hissed, his fists still raised.

I jumped up, wiped the blood from my nose, and took my stance. He threw a punch, but I quickly blocked and tripped him.

"You're late." I scolded.

He looked at me before disappearing again. I closed my eyes and felt the environment around me; whenever Scorpion was there, it was hot. Not just any kind of hot, it was like the Japanese sun on a nice Spring day. How relieved I felt, just _knowing_ that I had played him before. I knew his moves for the most part, and I was now aware on how to block them thanks to Sub-Zero and Liu Kang.

I felt a heat wave approaching me and I moved out of the way just before another blow could be delivered to me. I smiled and raised my fists; yeah, I wasn't sure with what to do with them at the moment, mainly because I had been taught defense instead of offense, but it was _something_. He stared at me once again, his rage evident. My smile faded quickly and I raised my fists higher, ready to protect my face.

_'Please don't tackle me, please don't tackle me...'_ I begged.

From there, my worst nightmare was realized; he charged towards me like a raging bull. I jumped around, trying not to get caught up in his deadly embrace. He had tackled me before and I'll tell ya, you do _**not**_ want to be tackled by Scorpion. I mean, I had gone through it before with my schoolmates, but Scorpion beat me so brutally and _so much_ last time, I threw up afterwards.

My jumping technique worked me for the first five minutes, but it didn't last. He eventually threw his body over mine, raised both of his clenched fists, and pummeled me right there and then. What I loved about training with Scorpion was that he didn't care who you were; male or female, aristocrat or peasant, he gave you the same glare and he beat you up just as he normally would. While training with Sub-Zero and Liu Kang, I noticed that they would go easy on me, probably because I was a girl. But I couldn't learn if my masters were _easy_ on me; I learned best when pressure is added, and Scorpion was doing just that.

The only problem with training with Scorpion was a lot of pain, blood, tears, and sore body parts. Plus, he hit _hard_.

While in my admiration for the Specter, I eventually didn't take notice on how hard he was hitting me. He delivered a painful smack across my face and gave me a menacing glare.

"You daydream even in combat?! Fight back, or _**I will kill you.**_"

I snapped out of my dream-like state and, with all of my might, kicked him on the ass. His eyes widened slightly and he jumped up, leaving me breathing erratically. I had started to feel the effects of my beatdown; my nose was bleeding profusely, my bottom lip was cut and blood leaking from it as well, my cheeks were bruised severely, and there was a small gash on my forehead. Disregarding of these painful things, I stood back up, ready to continue.

"I can keep going." I said, my voice cracked and uneven.

Scorpion looked at me and shook his head. "You are reckless."

"No, I'm a survivor. I won't go down without a fight, not anymore."

"Being a survivor means being reckless, fool."

"Well then, I'm reckless!" I smiled.

He sighed and took his stance. "Again."

* * *

He couldn't help but feel slightly impressed by her. Scorpion threw different kinds of attacks at her, but she blocked them, and those she didn't block, she took. He could see that she was taking his punches and jabs because that was what he once did when he was a novice; he took as many punches as he could so that he could learn from them and attack his opponent accordingly.

_'She is bright.'_ He thought. And her confidence was building, her shy exterior beginning to fade with every passing moment that she was with him. He took note of the growing muscles in her arms and legs, and he couldn't help but feel proud that he had helped build those for her. He noticed her smiling more, especially when she learned something new, and he always saw her practicing, whether it be what he, Sub-Zero, or Liu Kang taught her. She was weak before, but now, she was learning and applying what she learned to her everyday life. All in all, he couldn't help but feel impressed.

"We are finished. Clean yourself up." He said quickly.

She bowed low and made her way to Sub-Zero's chambers. Quan Chi would be expecting her to be in Shao Kahn's hands tomorrow, and if he wouldn't bring her, Quan Chi would come and take her himself. He wouldn't allow it. He followed her quietly and quickly, making sure that the necromancer wouldn't abduct her earlier than he said he would. Once she made it there safely, he flew inside and hid behind the curtains of her bedroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and winced as she touched her face. She sighed and began to undress. Scorpion looked away as she threw her clothes off to the side and walked in to the bathroom. He knew that she would be safe there, so he stayed where he was. Once she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in an oversized t-shirt and shorts, she grabbed a small tub of ointment and rubbed it over her wounds. He looked around and made sure that nothing was after her, but he also took great care in making sure that she couldn't see him.

She then moved to the window and stared at the moon, it's serene light smiling upon her face. Scorpion made sure not to move a muscle and silently cursed his own body heat; if she could detect that it was hot, then she could detect that he was there. But she didn't seem to notice as she placed her hand on the window and stared at the wilderness surrounding the palace. He watched her and looked outside with her, taking in the scenery that she was blessed with seeing everyday. She eventually moved away from the window, cut off the lights, and crawled in to bed. He continued watching her and vowed that he would do so for however long it took. He would protect her from Shao Kahn's malicious reasons for having her, and Quan Chi wouldn't grab her as long as he was there.

She curled up in to a small ball and mumbled sweetly, "Good night, Scorpion."

_...Shit._


	18. Purpose

_**Hey, everybody! **_

_**I just wanted to thank you all for your constant support; your reviews show me what I need to improve, as well as what I am doing right! This is my first story, and I know it's a bit too late for me to be giving you all my thanks...my bad...but believe me, you guys don't know how thankful I am to see such devoted readers. You guys are too amazing!**_

* * *

**Nothing was totally out of the ordinary the next day. **Well, except for the fact that Raiden had arrived before I woke up. I closed my bedroom door and saw him sitting up incredibly straight on a living chair, his hands on his lap. I looked around and noticed Sub-Zero and Smoke alongside him, Scorpion staring out the window with his arms crossed, and Liu Kang staring at me from across the room. Overall, all eyes were on me. How uncomfortable.

"Uh...what's up, everybody?!" I grinned.

"Good morning, Ama. Did you sleep well?" Raiden asked pleasantly.

"Oh yeah, I slept just fine. Uh...why are you here?"

He stood and took my hand. "Take a seat, my dear. There are some things that we need to discuss."

I sat where he once sat and looked up at him, expecting for him to say the worse; that I had to go home because the Elder Gods saw nothing in me.

"I have spoken with the Elder Gods."

Wait for it...

"You are to stay here."

"What?" I blurted out. "Are you serious?"

He nodded, his eyes still on me. "The reason you must stay is because you are of vital importance to Earthrealm. The Elder Gods have given me the information that you know what_ has_ happened in our universe as well as what _will_ happen. From first meeting you, I remember when you first knew my name before I could ever introduce myself, and that is, in itself, an amazing feat. You assure all of us life, Ama. You will be of great service against Shao Kahn in the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament."

I looked at Liu Kang, who was smiling. Huh. He _was_ right.

"Lord Raiden, is this the only reason I can stay?"

"Yes. If you agree to help us, which is most preferred, we will be able to take on the forces of darkness and win."

"And if I don't agree?"

"Then I must send you back home. It is your choice, Ama."

I looked at my hands and felt everybody's eyes on me. It was such an intense moment...I would have to help all of them save Earthrealm...I would get to meet the people I played as...but at the same time, I would have their very lives in my hands, I would have to send them off in different directions and hope that they wouldn't die. I didn't want their dead bodies on my conscience, I couldn't deal with any of it in the long run anyhow. This was too serious, and I was too clumsy. I squirmed in my seat as I thought out all of the pros and cons. After more than twenty minutes, I stood up and held my head high.

"I'll do it." I said confidently, my fists clenched and my eyes staring straight in to Raiden's.

Raiden released a small, relieved smile while Liu Kang let out a nice chuckle. "Welcome aboard, Ama!"

I stared at him for a moment before laughing in return. Smoke smiled and brought me in to a nice embrace.

"Glad to know that you'll be staying. Come, let's celebrate with some waffles."

"I would like some waffles too!" Liu Kang shouted.

I giggled and left the room with Smoke, Raiden, and Liu Kang.

* * *

"So she's staying."

Sub-Zero went from staring after Ama to staring at the ground. "It seems so."

"I don't like it."

Sub-Zero glanced at Scorpion. "Why not?"

"She is still vulnerable to the most inadequate attack. She could die in a matter of seconds."

Sub-Zero pondered Scorpion's words. "That may be true. But she is still training with us, she is still learning. She is capable of much."

"This universe is too much for her to bear."

"Why do you say that? She knows all about it, how can it be too much for her to bear?"

"She hasn't lived here her whole life like you and I have, Cyromancer. She may have experienced the past Mortal Kombat tournaments through some technological setting, but she has not experienced the reality of it all."

"You're right, but-"

"There are no buts here, Cyromancer. She is in danger. The very second she agreed to stay here, she has been in danger."

"Then we will protect her."

"Not both of us."

"What, what not?"

"Because you'll be in my way. You always manage to do that."

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrows. "Right. _I_ get in your way. You've been after me for Ama knows how long, you've been stopping me from making progress with my own clan, and yet _I_ get in your way?"

'Well then, we wouldn't be in this predicament if you hadn't killed my family and clan."

"**I DIDN'T ****_DO_**** IT!**"

"**LIKE HELL YOU DIDN'T!**"

"Ugh, I hate going over the same thing with you, and you never believe me! I feel like a broken record!"

"That's because you did it!"

"Hey, are you two gonna eat or what?

Both of them whipped their heads to Smoke's direction, watching as he ate the rest of his waffle. "Ama's eating almost all of them, so I suggest that you two hurry it up and eat now."

Both of them looked at one another before sulking to Smoke's room.

* * *

'_He will not bring her to Shao Kahn._'

Quan Chi crossed his arms as he watched Scorpion. The Specter was observing Ama as she tried to stuff as many waffles as she could in to her mouth.

"Ama, this is dangerous. You could choke." Raiden chided.

"Just let her continue, this could prove to be interesting." Liu Kang said, holding out another waffle for her.

"She is to counsel us in our greatest time of need. I don't want her dead before the next Mortal Kombat tournament." Raiden barked.

"Relax, Lord Raiden. She has done this before. Ama, stuff more in to your left cheek." Smoke encouraged.

Ama gave Smoke a thumbs up as she grabbed the waffle from Liu's hand and stuffed it in to the left side of her mouth.

Quan Chi's eyes twitched. He would make Scorpion pay for this, there would be no doubt about it. As for the girl, he had to think; she would most definitely be watched by Scorpion, as well as the other warriors. Raiden wouldn't let her out of his sight either, considering her worth. The Necromancer didn't want to face the wrath that Shao Kahn promised him. He went to the Kahn's throne room just to ask for extra time, unfortunately knowing that _some_ kind of punishment awaited him.

* * *

I allowed for the wind to brush against my hair and my face; it was my first time outside of the palace walls in such a long time, and I loved the gardens especially because of their vastness; the different kinds of flowers that grew there was extravagant all on its own. I sat on a marble bench and observed the cherry blossoms growing around me. I touched them gently and reminisced on the last time I had seen them.

"I knew I'd find you here."

I jerked up and saw Sub-Zero, the sun making him glow from the way I was standing. His expression wasn't hard as it usually was...it had more of a softer tone, his eyes that dazzling sapphire that I learned to fall in love with.

"Don't be alarmed." He said gently as he approached me. He sat on the same bench as I did and patted the space beside him. After a couple of seconds, I sat back down and stared at my hands, determined not to look at him.

"Oh, come on. You know what you want to ask me." He sighed, grabbing a cherry blossom.

I blushed a bright red and turned away from him. "N-No, I-I-I... d-d-d-don't..."

Dammit. _Stupid_. _Stuttering_. _Fits_. They had returned.

"Oh? Let me familiarize you with it."

He gently grabbed my hand and cradled it, playing with my fingers. I watched his long, soft fingers as they played with my own short, stubby fingers and I looked up at him. He looked at me as well and curled his fingers over my hand. I blushed as I returned the gesture.

"Now?"

I gulped and looked away from him. To be honest, I didn't know what to ask him...I really didn't know what he meant. But I knew what he was talking about. He grabbed my chin and turned it to face him, his deep sapphire eyes staring deep in to my brown ones. He tilted my chin downwards and kissed me lightly on the forehead.

"Now?" He mumbled.

I didn't know what to say. I felt like a red chili pepper; my face heated so much from blushing that droplets of sweat began to form, and I _knew_ that my face was red because this kind of thing...well...it never happened to me before. He continued kissing me on my forehead and I tried my best to stop gulping.

"Answer me." He demanded gently, his eyes staring at me once again.

I shook my head hesitantly, wanting to know what he would do next but too afraid that I would scare him off. He leaned in and whispered in to my ear, "I've liked you since the beginning, you idiot."

My eyes widened. He...he remembered what I told him? He must have been dwelling on it since then...oh my gosh.

"I...I'm so sorry," I began. "I never meant for you to dwell on it, it was unnecessary on my part, I'm sorry-"

He put his index finger on my lips. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I said something, I-I-I...dammit."

He chuckled gently and placed the cherry blossom in to my hair. "Don't be sorry." He then leaned in and gave me a light kiss on my cheek. "I'm not."

He stood up and left me where I was. So many emotions ran through me at that moment and I wanted to run after him and ask for him to embrace me just so that I could have a nice, long cry. This was all new to me, and I...I loved it. Tears rolled down my face asI touched the place where his lips collided. I closed my eyes.

I knew that I was to assist the Earthrealm warriors. But now...now, it seemed that I had a whole new purpose here.

* * *

And The Scorpion watched on before bowing his head and disappearing in to the night sky.


	19. Broken

**I woke up the next morning feeling totally refreshed. **The kiss that Sub-Zero had planted on my cheek the other day was still in my memory, and I could somehow still feel it. I was looking forward to seeing him again and I couldn't help but wonder what he would do next...I jumped up, brushed my teeth, threw on my uniform, and moved the curtains aside. I spotted him sitting near the window as he usually did, his hands on his lap and his eyes closed. I knew not to disturb him, so I sneaked out as quietly as I could.

'_Right, he's meditating. Don't make a sound._' I said to myself as I tip-toed towards the door.

"Good morning, Ama." He greeted gently.

"Huh?" I mumbled before tripping over a chair. Sub-Zero hadn't even turned around yet and I could hear his melodious chuckle.

"Do you need a hand?"

I blushed as I stumbled to my feet and placed the chair back where it belonged. "No, I...uh...yeah...the uh...chair...uhm...hehe!"

His eyes sparked with amusement and I looked down, blushing like crazy. "Are you...uh...training me...today?"

"Both Scorpion and I will train you today. You have progressed vastly in to your training, so we will be teaching you offensive attacks. You must also apply your defensive attacks, however."

"Okay...okay! I've got this!"

"I know you do. Come."

Both of us walked to the training grounds and once we arrived, I noticed Scorpion leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on something.

"Good morning, Scorpion!" I smiled.

He didn't even look at me as he moved away from the pedestal. Okay...it was to be expected of him, I wasn't surprised by it. I bowed to him anyhow and looked at Sub-Zero, who gave him a dirty glare.

"We have arrived, Specter."

"About time." He replied gruffly, still staring off in to the distance.

I gave Scorpion a quizzical look and passed it along to Sub-Zero, who shrugged. "Shall we begin?"

Scorpion stood stiffly before quickly brushing past me, his hands raised and his undead eyes on me, the rage evident in his gaze. I slowly raised my arms and felt a wave of shock when he immediately came at me. I moved out of the way just in time and watched as he heaved with absolute fury...oh crap, now I was _scared_.

"Excellent, Ama. Stay wary, do not falter." Sub-Zero complimented as he blasted a small shard of ice at me.

I flipped over it and extended my left hand, ready for more. Scorpion seemed to see this as me welcoming my own death however, and he took out his sword before charging after me once again. My eyes widened and I hopped above him before he could deliver a clearly destructive blow. As I landed, I stared at him and couldn't help but wonder: What the hell was his problem? He looked more pissed off than I had ever seen him while he and I were training alone...did I do something against him or something?

He didn't like the fact that I was staring it seemed, so he charged after me again, his weapon still in hand. I tried to block off his attacks, but was only greeted with having my arms sliced repeatedly. He did it so quickly, I didn't even really start to feel the pain until a few moments later, and it was..._excrutiating. _

"Scorpion, what are you-" Sub-Zero began, but was quickly cut off as Scorpion shoved him aside, put his sword away, and began to fight me in hand-to-hand combat. This was insane...I didn't know half of the attacks that he was throwing at me, but I blocked those I knew as best as I could. His punches however, were too rough for me, and I'm sure he knew it. He jabbed me in the face more than a couple of times, he punched my ribs, causing me to cough and even crouch down for a small break...whatever the reason, he was pissed the hell off, and the harder he hit, the more infuriated I became. I eventually started punching back, using as much force as I could. Scorpion grunted as he began to notice this and punched even _harder_.

"Scorpion, enough. She does not yet know how to attack, that is the whole reason why we are here, to teach her!" Sub-Zero hollered.

Scorpion ignored him completely and continued pummeling me. I grew so frustrated that I decided to use my legs to try to at least block some of attacks aimed towards my face...yeah, one of the worst choices I had ever made. Just as I was trying to use them against him, he grabbed my right leg and the last thing I heard was an abnormally loud crack. Then, pain rushed all through my right leg and I screamed in pain; what did he do to me?! I tried to grab it just to somehow ease the pain, but the more I touched it, the more pain I felt.

"Ama!" Sub-Zero shouted as he ran over to me.

Scorpion threw me down and I writhed in pain..._I couldn't move my right leg_. Even if I _did_ move it, it hurt like hell. I couldn't help but wonder what Scorpion did to me, and I was in too much pain to even speak. I felt Sub-Zero's hands as they touched my injured leg and I screamed out once again, slapping his hand away.

"It's alright, Ama. You're going to be alright. Let me see it." He cooed.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as he slowly rolled up the pant leg of my uniform. He didn't say anything for a long time, nor did he touch my wound. What I heard next was his bitter voice demanding, "Why did you do this."

Scorpion didn't respond. Sub-Zero's angry glare remained on Scorpion, waiting for a response. "Answer me, Specter!"

Scorpion raised his clenched fists and disappeared behind fire and sparks. So many tears ran down my face, I actually began weeping, the pain so intense that I wanted to cut off my own leg. How ironic, considering the pain I was already in.

"Shh, it'll be alright. Ama. You'll be okay." Sub-Zero reassured me.

"What did...what did I do?" I wept, allowing for my tears to run down my eyes.

Sub-Zero wiped them tenderly. "Nothing. You've done nothing wrong, Ama."

"Why does he...why does he hate me?" I bawled, my lips quivering uncontrollably. The fact that Sub-Zero didn't answer me only made more tears come down. I felt so hurt, literally and figuratively...I did nothing wrong towards him, nothing that I knew. Just yesterday, he trained me with more enthusiasm than I was used to seeing from him, and today...I just didn't know what triggered him to harm me so violently.

"This may hurt you. But I can not keep you here." Sub-Zero said, wrapping his right arm underneath both of my legs.

"AHH!" I hissed as he picked me up bridal style, my head slammed against his chest in complete agony. "Sub-Zero, no, ow, ow, ow!"

He let out a sympathetic sigh. "I'm just taking you to your room, Ama. I will treat your wound there."

I was crying so much, I couldn't even respond to him, my tears soaking his leather attire from the chest down.

* * *

Sub-Zero did just as he said. He brought her in to her room, placed his polar hand over her leg, and watched as she fell asleep, her tear stained face finally relaxed. He stood slowly and quietly, left her room, and stormed around the palace searching for the undead man responsible.

"**Scorpion!**" He bellowed.

Scorpion appeared before him, his fists still clenched and his angry expression still obviously present.

"What the _hell_ was that." Sub-Zero hissed.

"Why should I care." Scorpion retorted.

"Because she is our trainee, idiot!"

Scorpion cocked his head to the side quickly. "She needs to learn."

"We had yet to teach her offensive attacks, Specter!"

"That does not phase me, _Lin Kuei_. _She needs to learn_."

"Not in this way. If you are willing to constantly injure her-"

"Injuring her is what makes her learn, dimwit!"

"**_You broke her leg!_**"

Scorpion stopped himself from reacting because Sub-Zero was right. Yeah, he broke her leg, but the way he saw it, she needed to make more progress. He had to become harder, faster, and more dominant in his own way of fighting.

"Do you have any idea of how you're affecting her? She thinks you hate her." Sub-Zero seethed, grinding his teeth together.

"I don't care what she thinks of me, nor do I care what she thinks that I think of her. She is my pupil, nothing more."

Sub-Zero recalled telling Smoke the exact same thing. He had seen Ama as his pupil, and nothing more. But now...now, it was different. He stared at the Specter and said coldly, "You lie."

Scorpion's eyes widened. "_Say again?_"

"I said the same thing, Specter. And now, I feel differently about her."

"Hmph, as expected. She _will_ turn out just like Frost." Scorpion scoffed.

Sub-Zero rammed Scorpion in to a wall and held him there firmly. "Listen to me, you _shitty_ excuse of a man. Ama has done nothing wrong to you-"

"I know that she has done nothing wrong!"

"Then why do you punish her?!"

Scorpion stayed silent and looked away from Sub-Zero's piercing glare. Sub-Zero began to think, his weight still against Scorpion and keeping him in place. After a couple of seconds, his eyes widened.

"Did...did you see us in the gardens yesterday?"

Scorpion didn't respond. Sub-Zero, in great frustration, slammed Scorpion in to the wall. "**Answer me!**"

Scorpion knew to give Sub-Zero the beat-down of his life at a later date. But, being a creature of honor, he grunted in validation. Sub-Zero's eyes narrowed. "You blame..._**her?!**_"

Sub-Zero roughly released Scorpion and put his hands on his temples. "Some_ man of honor_ you are."

Scorpion wanted only to slaughter the Lin Kuei Grandmaster at that very moment, but he knew that his action towards Ama...wasn't...necessarily..._right. _He began to walk to Sub-Zero chambers.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Sub-Zero questioned.

"Where does it look like I'm going." Scorpion barked as he continued walking.

"No, You will not go near her, not anymore." Sub-Zero boomed defensively.

"You should know by now, Cyromancer, that I refuse to listen to anything you tell me."

Scorpion vanished in a thick flame.

* * *

He arrived in Ama's room and found that she was sleeping soundly, her light snore keeping him very much alert. He walked over to her and watched as her drool traveled around her pillow, soaking it slowly but surely. He stared at her right leg and noticed that it had been bandaged and elevated by a pillow. For the first time as an undead hell spawn, he felt...careless. He had taken his rage out on this girl before, but never to the point where he...broke her so severely. The injuries he _did_ give her, he taught her how to treat. As he examined her injures, even _he_ knew that it would take a while for them to heal. He stared at her arms next and noticed how they were bandaged as well. He couldn't understand it, but he felt so much guilt from causing her such pain, especially while in her presence. He leaned in hesitantly and whispered gruffly, "Forgive...forgive me."

She didn't move a muscle. He somehow hoped that she was listening, because he sure as hell wouldn't say it again. This was the first time he put his pride aside as a Specter, and he hoped that it would be the last.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard her murmer, "I forgive you...Scorpion..."

...How the _**HELL?!**_


	20. Jealousy

**"My patience is running thin with you, sorcerer."**

Shao Kahn gripped the armrests of his throne, his glare more prominent than Quan Chi had ever seen. "You have told me that the girl would be in my possession in three days. Three days have passed, and yet she is _not_ here."

"Emperor-"

"I am sick and tired of your excuses, Quan Chi."

"Emperor, word has just been sent out by the Elder Gods themselves. The girl is to stay, to aid Earthrealm warriors."

"I already know this, fool! That is the reason I wanted her first, so that she could further the cause of Outworld!"

Quan Chi said nothing else and watched as Shao Kahn got to his feet. "I will re-possess half of your abilities, Necromancer."

"That is unnecessary, Emperor. Scorpion will indeed pay for disobeying me, but he does not fully act until provoked in the most gruesome of ways."

"What are you talking about?!"

"The answer is clear, emperor. The girl is will be kidnapped by me, there is no doubt about it. By triggering Scorpion's earliest memories of his dear ones, I will be able to convince him once again to join the cause of Outworld. He seems so wrapped up in the safety of the girl that he has forgotten what is most important to him."

"You have already made this point, sorcerer"

"Forgive my interruption, oh wise one."

Quan Chi turned around while Shao Kahn looked up. Shang Tsung stood with his left arm behind his back and his right hand on his chest. "If I may be so bold, I have a grand suggestion, one that does not involve the Specter in any way."

Shao Kahn looked at Shang Tsung with the interest of a child. "Continue."

Shang Tsung proudly stepped in front of Shao Kahn. "Abducting the girl would be a foolish thing to do, considering that she is watched constantly. Besides, the girl is wise and will only be around those she knows. But, if I _pose_ as one she knows, she surely wouldn't refuse."

"That is almost...brilliant. But how would you know who to pose as?"

"It is a matter of research, emperor. Her idols are the princess Kitana, her bodyguard Jade, and your wife and empress, Sindel."

Kahn thought for a moment. "Will you transform yourself in to one of these women?"

"Of course, sire. I only ask who you wish for me to pose as."

* * *

"He did _what?_"

Smoke didn't even give Sub-Zero the chance to finish explaining. He teleported to Ama's room and watched as she slept soundly. He stared at her broken leg and her bandaged arms; he couldn't help but twitch. Sub-Zero entered the room and stood closely behind him, watching her as well.

"Where is he."

"I'm not his keeper, Smoke."

"Well, you may want to be. I'm going to beat the shit out of him soon enough."

Smoke tried to walk out, but Sub-Zero blocked his path. "Don't. I know what you're about to do, just don't do it."

"Why the hell not?"

"Look, I felt the same way. But how is that going to help her?"

"What kind of question is that, Kuai? She won't get hurt as much as she is hurt now, _that's_ the good that comes out of it!"

"Hush, she's still sleeping."

Smoke scratched the top of his head in a frustrated motion. "I'm sick of that bastard. She probably blames herself for him doing this to her."

Sub-Zero remembered her asking him what she had done wrong. The only thing she had done was accept his peck on her forehead and on her cheek. The Specter was too absorbed in his own pride to even admit that he was...jealous. It never ceased to make him wonder why the spawn ever felt that way; he had known love, he was _married_, and his immense love for his wife created the fruit of life, a son. He knew what it was like to love and be loved in return. Sure, it was a damn shame that what he loved was ripped away from him, but he knew what it was like regardless.

Sub-Zero became angered with the fact that he had never felt such love before. He was never taught how to love and be loved in return because he was kidnapped by his own father and brought to the Lin Kuei Palace, where he lived in the shadows of his talented older brother. He knew nothing of what Scorpion used to know, and it infuriated him when he realized that Scorpion may have selfishly wanted to feel those things all over again. It basically wasn't_ fair_.

"Do...do you blame yourself for this?" Smoke asked roughly.

Sub-Zero looked at him and then at Ama. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for not stepping in fast enough to save her from Scorpion's wrath, and he didn't want to admit it to Smoke.

"I suppose that doesn't matter. It's about how Ama feels now, and how ridiculous it is for her to even_ think_ that it was her fault."

Sub-Zero grunted before leaving the room. Scorpion's jealousy towards him and his own resentment towards the Specter was making his head spin out of control.

'_It's not fair. It just isn't._' He couldn't help that childish mindset, but that was all he could think at that moment. It wasn't fair for him at all, nothing had been fair for him since the day of his birth. He was torn away from his mother, the one figure who could have helped him when it came to the issue of yearning for the opposite sex. The only mindset placed inside of him was to kill without mercy, to kill without any sense of shame, to become a powerful Lin Kuei assassin and carry out the commands of the Grandmaster, no ifs ands or buts. But because of Ama, because of _one_ girl who showed up out of nowhere, he was left in confusion, lost in his own emotions, emotions he never knew he had.

"There you are, Sub-Zero."

Sub-Zero snapped out of his thoughts and bowed once he saw Raiden. "Lord Raiden. I believe that you are here to see-"

"Yes. I have heard about the commotion. How is she?"

"She's resting now." Sub-Zero rubbed his temples. "And I haven't seen Scorpion."

"Discovering his whereabouts is unnecessary. Although I plan to punish to Specter for causing damage to our most valuable asset, I will grant him time to think about his actions. He is obviously sorry for what he had done."

Sub-Zero scoffed. "Yeah right."

"You shan't be so quick to judge him, Sub-Zero. Yes, what he did was inexcusable, but he is still a man of honor. No other man in his clan knew the value of that word as much as he did."

"His honor seems more than a little screwed up to me."

Raiden bowed his head. "He went in her room and apologized to her."

Sub-Zero instantly looked at Raiden. Raiden looked at Sub-Zero in return and nodded. "He still has the concept of honor in him."

Sub-Zero was in a state of shock. He _apologized_ to her? _Scorpion_? _His enemy_?

"And from what I've heard, she accepted his apology. She still doesn't know why he did it however. Do you?"

Sub-Zero was still in a shock, his mouth hung open. He was thankful for his mask at that moment.

"Excuse me." Sub-Zero grunted, gently pushing past Raiden.

* * *

Scorpion stared off in to the horizon, his arms crossed over his chest. He felt the breeze hit his body and he released a small sigh. Thoughts of Ama continuously crossed his mind and although he tried to stop them, they kept coming. He hoped that he didn't show anything to her in his apology, specifically his blossoming emotions toward her. What continued to baffle him was how she could hear him, how she could sense him; it didn't make any sense to him at all. He mastered the ways of being stealthy, and he was good at it... yet, an ordinary girl could tell whether he was there or not.

"Scorpion."

Scorpion looked down from his elevated position and noticed Sub-Zero.

"Dammit...what does he want." Scorpion mumbled to himself as he jumped down. Sub-Zero looked at him from top to bottom and sighed.

"What." Scorpion demanded impatiently.

"I heard you...apologized."

Scorpion's eyes widened. "How did you learn about that."

"How I learned about it is unimportant. What matters is that you...ehm...apologized."

"You say it like it was my first time, Cyromancer."

"It's new to me. I have never heard or experienced a time when you put your own pride aside and...apolo-ehm...apologized.

"Stop that."

"What?"

"That, _'ehm'_ nonsense."

"What, there's just something in my throat."

"Do you take me for a fool?!"

"No, there was something in my throat!"

"I swear, Lin Kuei-"

"She's awake."

Sub-Zero and Scorpion turned to see Smoke, an amused gleam present in his eyes. Sub-Zero left immediately while Smoke stared at Scorpion for a short while. Scorpion looked away and stared off in to the horizon once again.

"Aren't you going to see her." Smoke blurted out.

Scorpion didn't answer.

"Pity. Your pride is in the way of seeing a girl you've grown to admire. Again."

"What do you know." Scorpion barked.

"I know that you like her, asshole."

Scorpion teleported towards Smoke and tried to throw a couple of punches at him, but Smoke quickly disappeared and punched Scorpion in the gut. Scorpion grunted gently and summoned flames, causing Smoke to yelp slightly and become visible. Scorpion threw his kunai at Smoke and gave off a small smirk once he heard Smoke cry out. Scorpion then violently tugged the chain and Smoke flew towards him.

"Get over here!" He hollered.

Smoke grunted softly as soon as he reached Scorpion, his eyes hinting mischievous play. Scorpion, enraged with the look on his face, threw a punch at Smoke. Smoke took it and chuckled softly.

"The fact that you initiated the fight only means that I am correct."

Scorpion softened his gaze and threw Smoke aside. Smoke dusted himself off and tenderly touched the wound caused by Scorpion's kunai.

"I'm hinting a little jealousy here, Specter. But I sense no reason behind its presence. You knew all of those feelings before meeting Ama, you knew what it was like to love. Sub-Zero has never felt that before, so don't screw this up for him."

Scorpion growled and clenched his fists. After a second of contemplation, he scoffed. " I do not _love_ the girl, I never will. And I have told the Cyromancer that I refuse to listen to any of his words. You are no different."

Scorpion roared as flames engulfed his body and Smoke growled as he watched Scorpion's ashes drifting in to the sky.

* * *

"Sub-Zero, I'm fine!"

Sub-Zero was constantly checking to see if I was alright and although it was touching, it was a tad bit annoying. I crossed my arms and smiled at him. "Seriously, I'm alright. Sure, the leg still hurts and my arms are burning a little-"

"Your arms are burning? Here, let me-" Sub-Zero began as he gently touched my arms. I pushed him away and groaned.

"Look, everything is going to be alright! Isn't that what you told me?"

"Y...yes, but-"

"No buts! I'm recovering, and that's what matters. Say, do you have any crutches or something?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'd like to try to walk around, you know, you stretch out the old legs. I can't just stay confined to my bed, it's not healthy."

Sub-Zero's eyes sparked with amusement. "Of course, I'll get those to you as soon as possible.

"Thanks!" I giggled.

He stared at me for a short while and then stared at his hands.

"Is something the matter?" I asked gently.

He kept his eyes on his hands before speaking, "I'm sorry."

"S-Sorry? For what, what did you do?"

"I didn't...I didn't protect you. When Scorpion flew in to a rage, I didn't do anything to stop him sooner, I'm sorry..."

My eyes widened. "Sub-Zero...there is no reason for you for your apologies, at all."

I attempted to lean over just so that I could touch his hand, and I was satisfied with the fact that my attempt turned out successful. I gently placed my hand over his own and gave him a gentle smile. "There is nothing for you to be sorry about, Kuai."

Sub-Zero's eyes widened this time. "What?"

...Dammit, did I ruin another heart-to-heart moment? It sure as hell felt like I did. "Uh! I mean...Sub-Zero!"

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrow. "How do you know my name."

I sighed and removed my hand. "Look at the reason I'm here, Sub-Zero. Duh."

Sub-Zero sighed and released a small chuckle. "Right. How quickly I forget."

I wanted to speak to him about the kisses he planted on me just a day before all this mess. I wanted to return the favor and kiss him as well. It was as if he read my mind because he suddenly...uh...took his mask off. I stared at him as he did this and watched as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. I stared in absolute fascination; his nose was straight, just as Smoke's was; his lips had this unnatural peach-like color to it and they were nice and plump. His cheekbones were high, his jaw wide and prominent. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him...he was...

"So beautiful..." I whispered.

Sub-Zero looked at me and I quickly covered my mouth.

"What?" Sub-Zero asked gently.

I looked at him and watched as his gentle eyes embraced the vulnerable side of me. I wasn't surprised with the fact that my body was leaning towards him rather precariously. He leaned back, seemingly alarmed by my progression. But after a moment, he leaned in as well, our lips just mere inches away from each other. His warm breath created goosebumps all down my arms and back and I groaned gently as he cupped my right cheek in his hand. He leaned in some more and I gulped rather loudly. He didn't seem very experienced when it came to this sort of thing, heck, neither was I. But hell, he was _good_. Perhaps it was my earlier fascination with him that triggered my admiration for the guy, but that admiration turned in to something totally different. Whenever I went home, if ever I went home, I wanted to bring him and Smoke with me. Scorpion wouldn't want to come with me, so there was no harm done on his part at all. I felt so strongly about this that I needed to express to him that I wanted him, that I...maybe I...needed him.

"I...I want you to go back with me."

Sub-Zero raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"When all this is over, come back with me."

Sub-Zero seemed baffled with my sudden question. "Ama-"

"Please. You don't understand how much I...I want you there with me."

Sub-Zero backed away slightly and stared at his hands. "Ama, you know I can't do that-"

"Why not?"

"...I have responsibilities here. I am the head of this clan, I am the Grandmaster."

I knew that he had responsibilities, but I still wanted him with me. I had grown fond of him over the past several months, and I knew that he had grown fond of me as well. I knew that I was to take care of myself, that was inevitable. But I didn't want for him to come with me just so that he could be my personal bodyguard. I wanted him with me because it felt like I needed him. I _really_ liked him at this point. I bowed my head and closed my eyes for a few moments.

"Hey," Sub-Zero said softly, lifting my chin up.

At that moment, I didn't even know what I was doing. I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, my clumsy lips colliding against his cold skin. I backed up and bowed my head once again, my cheeks turning a bright tomato color.

"Ama-"

"Ah, Ama. You're awake, child."

Sub-Zero gently pushed me back and I returned the gesture. I could sense his embarrassment because I felt the same way he did at that moment. Imagine a Thunder God coming in while you're sharing a somewhat intimate moment with a very sexy man. Yeah, not too comfortable.

"Ama, I do apologize for this inconvenience. I have personally prepared some ointment for your arms and as for your leg, I trust that Sub-Zero has something for you to use."

"Yes, sir. Sub-Zero has allowed for me to use some crutches until my leg gets better." I said strongly.

"Good. After your leg heals, the offense aspect of your training will begin. I have prohibited Scorpion from participating, so Liu Kang and Sub-Zero will lead you."

Sub-Zero exhaled deeply and I frowned slightly. "Really?"

"Yes. His careless act could have resulted in sending you back home, and I can not allow that to happen. You are precious to our cause, Ama."

I blushed and scratched the side of my face. "Thanks..."

"There is another part of your training which I will not yet show to you, however. I urge you to learn all you can in the meantime."

...Okay, he shouldn't have mentioned that. My mind ran out all the possibilities; I could meet somebody else, I could travel the realms without being attacked like I was in the Netherrealm, I could face off for the first time against Sub-Zero, Scorpion, or Liu Kang, I could learn a new attack or defense technique, it could be anything and it was already driving me insane.

"I have already picked somebody who will go with you in the upcoming section of your training. He hand I have already collaborated, but he has given me an oath that he will not tell you."

"Well, that's a bust..." I grumbled, slumping over slightly.

Raiden released a small amused chuckle. "Rest. Get better. Drink plenty of liquids and eat as much as you can."

With that, he raised his arm and disappeared. I glanced at Sub-Zero. "Is it you?"

"What?"

"Don't play me, Sub-Zero. This upcoming section of my training, does it involve you or what?"

"I know nothing about it, that was the first time I've heard about it."

I glared at him. "Riiight."

He frowned deeply. "Ama, I'm serious."

"Fine, fine. But I will find out, and I will boast in all my glory!"

He rolled his eyes and stood up. "I'll get you something to eat, as well as those crutches. I'll get Smoke to bandage your arms and leg up again. Do you want anything?"

...Ice cream. Doughnuts. To know who will guide me on my upcoming training session. "No, I'm good."

Sub-Zero paused for a moment before leaving the bedroom. Smoke entered almost immediately and I gasped once I saw the small gash on his cheek, as well as the blood on his chest.

"Smoke, what happened?!" I screamed.

Smoke rolled his eyes at me and sat on my bed. "Would you calm down? It's nothing a little gauze won't fix."

"But, who did this?!"

"Don't worry about that." He replied as he took gauze from my nightstand and wrapped it around his chest. He rummaged through my drawer next and I leaned back.

"Sure Smoke, you can use my bandages. Dang, how hard is it to ask politely"

"You forget that this is _my_ home. I can do what I please."

"Yeah, but this is _my_ room-"

"In _my_ home."

"...Just shut up. And don't use all the bandages."

He chuckled and placed a small bandage on his gash. "There. And don't worry, I cleaned out the wound before."

"Then why was there still blood on it?"

"Because most wounds bleed, Ama."

"...I'm about to kick your ass."

"Oh? Because all I need to do is add a little pressure on your leg..."

Smoke placed his hand over my injured leg and applied pressure to it slowly but surely. I yelped and smacked his hand away. "What the hell, Smoke?!"

"And that stops you from even acting on it." Smoke finished, a sly grin ran across his face.

"Oh yeah?! Well once I get better, I'll be able to take you down!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"You bet your_ ass_ it is."

"Alright, you're on. Oh, but we can't do it until after about, eh, six weeks."

"...What?"

"Yeah. Just telling you how it is, Ama-"

"Wait, why that long?"

"Beats me."

"What do you mean,_ 'beats me'_, you're the one who said six weeks!"

"Because. Something's coming up in those six weeks and it's pretty important, especially for you."

...Wait, was this the training session that Raiden had brought up to me? Was the person guiding me around..._Smoke?! _

"Oh my gosh, it _is_ you!"

Smoke raised his eyebrows. "Excuse you?"

"It's you! You're going to guide me on my upcoming training session! What are we going to do, where are we going-"

"Whoa, slow down. What are you talking about?"

"Don't act stupid, Smoke. I know that you know and you now know that I know because Raiden told you before he told me!"

Smoke shook his head gently. "You're confusing me. Seriously."

"Ugh, you're such a man." I grumbled, rubbing my temples.

"...Seriously, Ama. What the hell are you talking about."

"You_ know_ what I'm talking about!"

"No, I do know that you're acting more than a little psychotic. Now shut up and relax, I need to clean your wounds and bind them again."

I leaned back and looked away from him as he carefully unwrapped the gauze from my leg. He cleaned it and wrapped it back up. He then picked up a cast and put it on my leg.

"I know that you know, Smoke." I grunted.

"Shut up Ama or I swear, I'll break your other leg."

"You wouldn't do that!"

He quickly grabbed my other leg and positioned his hands a certain way. All I knew was that if I moved, my leg would be broken, the pressure on it undeniably intense. "Yeah, yeah...I get the point..."

He released my other leg and continued working. I stared at the ceiling and wondered who would guide me on the next part of my training. It was still a mystery to me. But as I watched Smoke once again, I whispered to myself, "He knows."

At that moment, I felt a tickling sensation and then I heard a loud pop. I screamed out and bit my lower lip just to stop myself from getting louder.

"I can still hear you, Ama."

...That sneaky son of a bitch.


	21. Applying Forgiveness

**Hey you guys! It's been awhile I know, I've been preoccupied with school. **

**I just wanted to say, HOLY SMOKES ROBIN, I HAVE 105 REVIEWS! :O**

**Hehe, sorry, that is really exciting to me. You guys are seriously amazing, you have no idea how much I love to see your reviews. I honestly didn't think that this story would be so exciting to other people! I do apologize for not uploading for so long. I know how it feels to read a story and see that it hasn't been uploaded for weeks...yeah...**

**Again you guys, thank you SO MUCH! It really means a lot to me!**

* * *

**My leg managed to heal after about a week and my arms were a lot tougher than they had ever been; I was ready to get moving.** The upcoming half of my training that Raiden had mentioned to me had never left my mind and I continued to wonder who would lead me. I tried my best not to think about it when I was training with Liu Kang and Sub-Zero, and for the most part it paid off...but a great part of me still anticipated something exciting to happen. I had learned quickly how to attack any opponent, my bet with Smoke fueling every part of my body in to being tough so that I could kick his ass, my stubborn will refusing to lose.

"Very good, Ama. Left and right, keep it steady."

Liu Kang had allowed for me to punch his hands instead of using a standard punching bag; he told me that the punching bag didn't move and breathe as an opponent did, and I needed to learn how to fight with something that moves. I put all of my strength in to punching his hands, my own hands becoming stronger with every punch I threw. I wasn't bleeding as much as I used to when I started punching Sub-Zero's stomach...really, the bleeding had lessened, so I couldn't help but feel a little proud of myself.

"You're doing an excellent job, Ama. Excellent work."

I grinned as I continued punching his hands, my sweat dripping from all parts of my body as usual. Of all the things I was improving in, controlling my sweat wasn't one of them.

"Now kick. Remember, you want to leave an impact on your opponent at all costs, no matter how little. Even by tapping them slightly with your foot on any part of their body, your opponent will get confused and that welcomes the perfect opportunity to attack them with all you've got."

"Got it." I answered.

I tried my best to tap him, but he was too quick and disregarded it. "You have to be quick about it, Ama. Most of the fighters out there are experienced beyond belief and they'll know what you're about to do even before you even make a move. Be unpredictable."

"I'll try." I grumbled, raising my fists again.

It took me a while to even grasp the concept of the stupid tapping lesson. I groaned in frustration, wiped the sweat from off of my face, and crossed my arms. "Liu, can't you just...attack me or something?"

"...Pardon?"

"I just want to know what it is like, you know, in a real fight."

"You are too inexperienced, Ama. I can not fight you while you are inexperienced, it will only cause unnecessary damage."

"Scorpion goes all expert mode on me, and because of that, I've learned so much-"

"Yes, but he has also caused damage to your leg and arms."

"I know that, but-"

"I'll tell you what. I will throw a few intermediate punches and kicks at you. You must then block them and counter attack. Is that satisfactory?"

"Very much so-"

"Good."

He punched me right in the jaw and I flew back slightly. Whoa..._that_ took me by surprise. I recomposed myself and shook my head gently. '_Stay focused, stay focused._'

He threw another punch at me, but I grabbed his hand and thrust my foot in towards his gut. He stumbled back slightly and nodded. I raised my fists, ready for another random attack. He tried to trip me, but I jumped up, elbowed his shoulder, flipped in to the air and once my feet touched the ground, I swept both of my legs under his feet, tripping him. He stood up and smirked at me, his amused look pissing me off.

"I know you're going easy on me, Liu. Show me what you can do."

He smirked playfully before cracking his neck and charged at me. I moved out of the way and watched as he concocted a ball of flame, its shape and figure the same as the Mortal Kombat dragon logo. I couldn't help but stare at it for a short while, my subconscious drifting in and out of my mind. I managed to move out of the way just before the thing came at me, experiencing a slight burn mark on my arms afterwards. I charged after him as well and he moved before I could deliver a flying kick, something that he had taught me a couple of days before. He jumped above me and attempted pinning me down, but was unsuccessful as I darted out of the way.

"You are doing very well, Ama. _Very_ well."

I looked up and noticed Raiden, his arms crossed over his chest. I bowed and said gently, "Thank you."

Liu Kang stood beside me and bowed to Raiden as well. Raiden bowed his head in return. "Ama, You have improved greatly, especially when it came to offense attacks. Now, we will go along with the next half of your session, which was Liu Kang's first lesson to you."

"What? That whole...forgiveness thing?"

"Yes. I do hope that you kept his words in to consideration. In the next part of your training, the part which you have been _yearning_ to learn about, you will be heading home."

I froze. "What?"

"Yes. You must learn how to apply this method in to your everyday life, and your everyday life is not here. As I have mentioned to you before, there will be somebody to go with you-"

"Wait, I'm going home?! Why?!"

"You must learn to apply the concept of forgiveness, Ama."

"That's ridiculous, I don't want to go home!"

"You will not be staying there for long, Ama. You will only be there for a week-"

"A week?! Do you know how _long_ that is?!"

"Ama." Liu Kang warned. "Calm yourself."

"No! You're sending me home?!"

"Ama, you have to understand that you will _not_ progress further in to your training unless you grasp the concept of forgiveness."

I was shaking rather violently. I didn't want to go back to that hell hole, I didn't want to see my mother or my bitchy classmates again, I wanted to stay here.

"I...I don't want to..."

"Ama, I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do but send you back. You have progressed vastly, now you need to apply what you have learned-"

"I _know_ how to forgive, it's not like I have no idea what the word even means!"

"Yes, I know. The fact that you have forgiven Scorpion is a great example. But Scorpion only caused so much pain to you, he wasn't with you as you grew up."

"Technically, he was! Alright?! I mean, I've played Mortal Kombat my whole life, it felt like you guys were actually there with me most of the time-"

"But we weren't. Ama, you're going back to your place of origin, whether you like it or not. You must face the demons in your own life and take them down."

"Demons is an understatement." I huffed.

Raiden sighed gently and turned around. "You must leave as soon as possible."

"Who's coming with me." I demanded impatiently.

"Scorpion."

I stood up straight and blinked repeatedly. "Scorpion?"

"Yes. I have chosen him because he can protect you a great deal, as well as learn a few things himself. The Specter has been harboring hatred ever since his resurrection, he could learn how to forgive so that he won't have to carry so much."

...I suppose that made sense. I didn't know what else to think, besides the obvious fact that I didn't want to go. Scorpion appeared from out of nowhere and stared at me with his usual glare. I sighed and watched as Raiden began to concoct a portal. Scorpion and I stood together and simply watched him; no words were exchanged between the two of us, and I was okay with it. Raiden finished the portal and nodded at me.

"Remember your training and use it if necessary."

I sighed and walked straight through, not caring if Scorpion followed or not.

* * *

I stared at my surroundings; I was in my messy room once again. I checked my calendar and flipped it to the correct month; it was already February, and it was a Thursday. I sighed and rummaged through my closet in search of another school uniform. What sucked was Raiden sent me back on a school day. How freaking _fantastic_. I managed to find one and threw it on, flattening out the skirt with my hands, and replacing my torn up shoes with something more presentable. I didn't even notice that Scorpion was in the room as well, examining his surroundings.

"Yeah, this is my room. Don't mind the mess." I grumbled as I placed myself in front of the mirror and began combing my hair with my fingers.

Scorpion didn't respond. He just stood there and continued looking around. I stood and stared at the door to my bedroom, knowing that Raiden wouldn't have wanted me to stay here the entire time.

"I suppose I have to...go."

He didn't say anything; he looked ready to follow me wherever I went at that point. I took a deep breath and left my room as quietly as I could. I was so happy that Scorpion had taught me about being stealthy, because I had to really use it just to get out of the front door. I crept down the stairs and checked behind me, just to make sure Scorpion was there. Yeah, it was a relief to discover that he was following me, but he was being _so loud_. He bumped in to almost every picture in the hallway and stomped behind me instead of taking light, subtle steps. Eventually I turned and gave him the nastiest glare I could.

"Hush!" I hissed, putting my finger to my lips.

He didn't seem to care however, and he continued being obnoxiously loud. I wanted to punch him in the throat, but that would only piss him off and I would surely be discovered from there. I continued my stealth mode and made it to the hallway leading to the kitchen. Alright...so far, so good. I've got this. I peeked around the corner and saw my mother making breakfast for my brother...dammit...and the door was just a couple of inches away from her...GAH...

'_Alright, think Ama. After she feeds you, she usually takes a nap. Just wait for it._'

My mother cleaned the kitchen for what seemed like an eternity and I watched as she did so. She didn't look at all distressed that I wasn't there...maybe she was, but searching for me seemed like a waste of time to her. I couldn't help but feel a little hurt about that...I mean, I knew that I was a nuisance to her, she had stated that towards me many times, but the fact that I could _see_ it only made my heart break further. My baby brother lifted his head from his bowl of cereal and looked around, his eyes darting around the kitchen.

"Onee-san!" He giggled.

I gasped and watched as he thrashed around on his high chair. It was obvious that he wanted to get down, but he usually called me out like that when he knew that I was there..._he knew that I was there?_

"Stop that. Eat." My mother snapped.

"Onee!" He giggled, thrashing once again in his high chair. I couldn't help but smile...at least somebody missed me, or at least acknowledged my presence when I was there. My mother grumbled and removed him from his high chair. He waddled over to where I was hiding...oh hell...

Scorpion sensed this however and glared harshly at my younger brother, causing him to cry rather loudly. I looked back at Scorpion, then I looked at my brother; how I longed to comfort him and tell him that it was alright. My mother came over, picked him up, and carried him to his room.

"Perfect. Let's go, Scorpion." I whispered.

I ran to the door, waited for him to go through, and gently closed it. Alright...first part, done. I looked at my watch and saw that it was eight fifty eight...dammit, I was late again.

"Crap!" I shouted as I ran to school as fast as I possibly could. Scorpion effortlessly kept up with me, but I was embarrassed with the fact that my clothes began to become soaked with sweat once again...really?!

I made it to the front of my classroom and inhaled as much air as I could. Scorpion looked inside of the classroom as I huffed and puffed and tried to gain as much oxygen as I could. He touched the doorknob and I gasped.

"Scorpion, no!"

He opened the door and stared my classmates as if they were vermin. Well, to me they were, so we agreed on that.

"Eehm. Who are you?" Mr. Akita asked.

Scorpion didn't respond. Instead, he just pushed me in to the room. I stumbled through and noticed the groans and gasps in the room, everybody had their eyes on me...how humiliating...

"Hey, poopie Ama is back!"

"It seems she is. Miss Haruki, asking where you have been would be a waste of my time. Take your seat and you _will_ see me after school today. Your...friend...will have to wait outside." Mr. Akita said nonchalantly.

I stared at Scorpion and sighed as I retreated to my seat in the back of the room. Instead of Scorpion going outside, he followed me to the back and stood behind me. Mr. Akita growled at him and scolded me saying, "Miss Haruki. Tell your friend to leave."

"Scorpion, would you?" I whispered gently.

He didn't move. He just stood there with his arms crossed.

"Scorpion-"

"Sir, please get out of my classroom."

"Piss off, I'm staying here." Scorpion growled.

The rest of the class gasped at the sound of his demonic voice and I put my hand over my forehead. He did _not_ just say that...really Scorpion?

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, this instant."

Scorpion didn't move, nor did he respond. "Scorpion, _please._" I begged.

"That's it, I am calling the authorities." Mr. Akita said, whipping out his cell phone in a matter of seconds.

"No, please, that's not necessary, Mr. Akita. I promise, he won't cause any trouble. He's actually quite tame!"

Mr. Akita glared at me. "Right. A man who tells me to _piss off_ is quite tame. I won't stand for this, Ama."

"He'll stay quiet, I promise."

I nudged Scorpion vigorously and he gave me a crazy scary glare. I tried to ignore it however and I hissed at him, "Stay quiet. Don't say a word or you'll get me in trouble, and if you get me in trouble, you're going _**down.**_"

Scorpion scoffed; it seemed like my words towards him meant nothing. I turned back around and noticed that my classmates were giving me weird stares. I crossed my arms and sunk in to my seat.

"...Alright then. On with the lesson.

* * *

Lunch time came faster than I had imagined. Probably because I had dozed off more than a couple of times and had Mr. Akita slam his hand on my desk repeatedly, but it was lunch time nonetheless. I stared at my classmates as they dug in to their lunches and had to deal with the abnormal growls of my stomach. I should have packed something small, especially while my mother was putting my brother to bed, but I couldn't do anything at that moment besides think about what could have been.

"Are you hungry, Ama? Here, you can have some of my sea eel sushi!" One of my classmates offered.

I stared at the sushi, then back at my classmate. "Really?"

"Yeah! Eat up, you must be very hungry!"

I warily took the sushi and stared at it for a while. "Eat it! It's impolite if you just stare at the food that you are being offered!"

I slowly ate the sushi and the minute it hit my stomach, I began to feel rather...ill. I groaned and covered my mouth in attempts to stop myself from puking...what did they put in here?! My stomach grumbled loudly and I doubled over on my desk. Scorpion stared at me, then he stared at my laughing classmates. He stormed over to them and lifted the one who handed me the roll by the collar.

"What did you put in there." He demanded.

"Scorpion, no-" I gasped. I was in so much pain and I didn't know what to do. One thing was certain; I was going to throw up. I tried to stand just so that I could get to the nearest bathroom, but the pain was too unbearable. Scorpion shook my classmate forcefully and made sure that eye contact was made.

"You'd better answer me or your blood will be all over these walls." Scorpion snarled.

"Let me go! I'm sorry, just let me go!" My classmate begged.

"It wasn't anything_ too_ bad, promise!"

I could tell that Scorpion was about ready to rip some heads off. As much as I wanted to see it happen, I knew I couldn't allow it.

"Scorpion..." I groaned. "S..stop..."

Scorpion glanced at me, then he eyed my classmate once again. "You will suffer for this."

My classmate was actually crying, tears streaming from his eyes and snot running down his nose. I felt just a bit better, just seeing that. But I was in too much physical pain, and I couldn't hold it anymore; I threw up right there, my barf splattered across the desks and created a disgusting pool of mush around the chairs. My classmates jumped back and screamed while Scorpion jumped to my aid. He scooped me in to his arms and I continued barfing, most of it flowed on to my lap and on to his chest.

"I'm sorry..." I choked out, tears running down my eyes.

"Hush." He responded, moving as quickly as he could. He didn't seem to care that I was barfing all over his chest. He looked determined to get me out of that place and somewhere safe, a place where I could recover. I allowed for my body to go limp in his arms, but that seemed to alarm him and he jerked me upwards, causing more vomit to flow from my mouth. I felt so miserable, it wasn't even something to laugh about later. My classmate gave me _something, _and I didn't know what it was. It was as if they _knew_ that I was coming back today and they decided to concoct a sick joke. I was pissed the hell off at that point, thoughts of revenge ran through my mind. I hated this place and I just wanted to go back to the Mortal Kombat universe. I couldn't stay here anymore, it was too unbearable.

Scorpion stopped before gently setting me down on the grass. I inhaled as much air as I could, just so that I could inhale something other than barf. I didn't know what Scorpion was doing at that moment, and I didn't really care at that point. I just needed to rest, to close my eyes and pretend that I was with everybody else back in the Mortal Kombat world. I hated this place, and I wanted to punch Raiden as hard as I could once Scorpion and I returned.

Scorpion lifted my head and I stared up at him, wondering what he wanted.

"Drink." In his other hand, he held what looked like a cup of a weird green liquid. I was about to ask him where he got the cup from and what was in it, but I took the cup from his hand and started slurping it knowing that he would probably force it in to my body one way or another. I was actually pretty happy that he was here with me, but I would have liked for him to be with me someplace else...someplace other than here.

"Are you alright." He urged.

"I'll be fine. I think I threw up a weeks worth of food, but I'll be fine."

He grunted and stood up. "Perhaps I should communicate with Raiden that we should shorten our stay here."

I sat up and closed my eyes.

"What are you doing." Scorpion asked blandly.

"I'm going to send for a portal to Earthrealm."

"...What."

"Raiden told me that I could get access to any portal that I'd like to at any given time. That's how we...sort of met. Anyhow! I am going to think of the Lin Kuei Palace and it will surely transport us to Earthrealm."

"We _are_ in Earthrealm, fool."

"It'll transport us to the palace then, jeez!" I shouted. "Now let me think."

Thoughts of the palace ran through my mind, specifically my room. Okay, I had to be specific in my thoughts; I thought of the large window with the most beautiful view I had ever seen. I thought of my over sized bed and how comfortable it was compared to the crappy "bed" I slept on at home. I thought of the glass door that separated Sub-Zero's domain from mine and the big curtain that covered it, I thought of the bathroom, a bathroom as big as Smoke's; I thought of the very outline of that room and how passionately I wanted to go back. When I opened my eyes, I only saw Scorpion picking at a statue of our school symbol. Really?! How did it not work, did Raiden just tell me that I could enter any realm that I thought of just so that I could feel flattered or something?!

"Scorpion, leave the statue alone!" I shouted, absolutely frustrated at that point.

Scorpion looked over at me, then back at the statue. "Do you worship this thing?"

"No, that's our school symbol. It represents us."

Scorpion looked confused. "Then, you must worship it."

"Scorpion, no. We don't worship it, it just represents the student body."

"Your classmates are pricks."

My eyes widened and I tried to contain any burst of laughter from his blunt statement. He was right, there was no doubt about that; he had only seen a small sample of what they usually did to me and he saw them as pricks. "Wait, how did it go from our school symbol to my classmates being pricks?"

"They are. Such things never happened when I attended educational courses."

"Yeah, things change, Scorpion. For one thing, it's not called 'educational courses' anymore, it's called school. And now, you can be the most hated person for no freaking reason."

"Do they do things like this all the time?"

Whoa, this was the first real conversation that I had ever had with Scorpion. I blushed over that fact and replied with a small, "Yeah, usually."

"Have you told anybody about this?"

"Of course. I've told the school counselors, I've told my mother, I've told therapists, I've told as many people as I could reach out to. Most of them wouldn't believe me and others chose not to do anything about it."

"Then why don't you leave?"

"I did. I tried running away on many occasions and was almost successful at one point, but I was caught and sent home."

"...Have you ever thought about...death?"

"...What, suicide?"

He looked ashamed for even bringing it up. I stared at my shoes and answered with a faint, "Yeah."

It was a long, bitter silence. It was the first time I had admitted that I had tried to take my life before because of all the suffering I was in. I smiled gently and felt the wind blow past my body. "But I'm happy that I wasn't successful."

Scorpion glanced at me. I looked at him with tears in my eyes and a bright smile on my face. "I just looked on the bright side of things and figured that things would get better...and it really did. I got to meet you guys and now I know that my purpose is to help you...everything was once all so unclear, but now it kind of makes sense...I do have some purpose after all..."

"...Do you see purpose within yourself outside of Mortal Kombat?" Scorpion asked quietly.

"Maybe someday, when I'm sent to live outside of the Mortal Kombat world, I don't know, for good...I'll find a new purpose...I'd love to stay in your world though. I have more things going on for me there than I do here."

"Hmph. Of course." Scorpion huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I've developed relationships with Smoke, Liu Kang, Raiden...sort of...and-"

"Sub-Zero." He finished for me, his frustration crystal clear.

"...Yeah...Scorpion, why do you hate him so much?"

"The answer should be obvious from your games. He has taken what was once dear to me."

"Your family and clan...but you deserve to know that he didn't-"

"He did." Scorpion barked. "He killed me, but that wasn't enough for him. He had to make them suffer as well."

"No, seriously man, you've been deceived. Yeah, he killed you, but he didn't kill your family. And that wasn't Kuai Liang-"

"Who the hell is Kuai Liang." Scorpion hissed.

"Sub-Zero."

"What are you talking about girl, you make _**no**_ sense!" Scorpion yelled.

"Look, just hear me out-"

"What you say will not change my mind, girl."

"But then you're only going to hurt innocent people Scorpion, and I know that isn't what you're all about."

"How do you know."

"Because you aren't some brainless person who has no mind of his own. You have a mind of your own, and you know it. I sure do."

"How do you know what I would and would not do for me and mine."

"Because you understand the human conditions better than any other character! Come on Scorpion, you're smarter than that. How do you know that Sub-Zero killed your family and clan?"

"Because he killed me, I've gone over this already-"

"Right, but what would he have to gain from it?"

"**So that he would slaughter my clan, girl!**"

"Alright, alright, calm the hell down. Let me ask you this. How did you meet him?"

"Quan Chi hired me to retrieve a map in the Himalayas"

"Right, and that's how you met the elder Sub-Zero, correct?"

Scorpion paused. "Yes."

"Okay. So, from that piece of information, it is _assumed_ that you fought with Sub-Zero. You lost, and he killed you. Now, I know that he had no sense of compassion, but why would he then go through the trouble of massacring your entire clan when he probably didn't care too much about them in the first place? Why would he bother to cause _you_ any _more_ pain when you're dead? Don't you think there was another person involved in all of this?"

Scorpion looked impatient. I rolled my eyes and continued. "Look, the elder Sub-Zero may have been a brute and downright...well, he was a douche. But he...he didn't do it."

"...Stop talking about this with me."

"Look Scorpion, it's true! He didn't do it, I wouldn't lie about that!"

"I said **stop!**"

"If you don't listen to me, you're going to hurt a lot of people, maybe even people who were never involved to begin with!"

"What I do is none of your business, girl."

"Are you that dense? Scorpion, you're harboring a grudge against two men, one who killed you and _only you_, and one who did nothing against you. Your hatred for them is so intense that you don't even think things out! You need to clear your mind and forgive...him..."

Liu Kang's words rushed in to my memory. Scorpion was a perfect example of what it meant to forgive because he never forgave. And...it seemed that I didn't either.

"Did you really just say that? Look at the reason we're here, you obviously haven't forgiven anybody to begin with." Scorpion snarled.

"Look, I know that. I'm not particularly proud about it either."

I knew what I had to do at that point, as much as I didn't want to do it. I slowly got to my feet and mustered enough courage to say, "I need to go home."

Scorpion stared at me and nodded after a while. "Fine."

We stood outside of my home and I had never been more terrified. I hadn't talked to my mother in months and the child inside of me just wanted to run up and hug her. It just sucked that it couldn't be that way.

"Alright, I'll be inside. You just stay out here and don't attract any attention." I said gently.

Scorpion didn't respond, so I did both of us a favor and went inside. I heard plates clashing from the kitchen and gulped slowly before walking towards the noises. I saw my mother, her full attention on the dishes.

"I'm home." I said strongly.

She stopped and turned around quickly. Her eyes widened and she dropped the plate she was holding. I didn't move; it felt that I would regret it if I did. She walked toward me slowly and trembled.

"Where have you been?"

...Crap. Well, I somehow magically teleported in to a video game and now I'm supposed to stay there because I have to help the main characters fight against one of the biggest antagonists that I have ever experienced in gaming. Hope you don't mind.

"I've been around, Ma-"

"Did you run away again?!"

...Damn, she was already yelling. Touching reunion status: terminated.

"No, Ma-"

"Then where have you been?! I've been worried sick!"

"It didn't look that way."

"Excuse you, child?!"

"When I came back, you were acting as if everything was normal!"

She tightened her jaw and clenched her hands in to tight fists. "I've looked for you-"

"For how long, two days?"

"Be quiet! Insolent child, are you trying to make my life unbearable?!"

"_Your_ life?! Mother, you seem to have been so focused on _your_ life since father left that you've left _my _life unbearable!"

She began to storm away from me but I followed after, determined to give her a piece of my mind. "My life has been a living hell since dad left, and you've been so narrow-minded since then that you haven't cared for me like you should have!"

"And how could I have done that, child?! You never followed through with my expectations-"

"Maybe because your _expectations_ were too much for me to handle!"

"Onee!"

My mother and I turned our attention to the little boy who trotted towards me as quickly as he could. I released a small smile and before I could scoop him in to my arms, she did it for me. She gave me a hateful glare and hissed, "Get out."

"No."

She released my brother and stormed in to the kitchen. I followed her there as well and continued my rant against her. "Now that I look back, you never cared for me or anything that involved me. You always wanted to live through me, you always wanted for me to do things that I would never do! You pulled me away from the things that I loved, for all I know, you _made_ dad leave. You never protected me from the evils of this world, you didn't even warn me about them!"

She grabbed something from a drawer as I continued. "You've been a terrible mother, a terrible caregiver, and I hope that my little brother will one day have the common sense to leave you as soon as he can!"

She turned around slowly and my eyes quickly widened; she was holding a large knife, and she was pointing it at me.

"Get. Out." She whispered.

I stared at the tip of the knife and felt my heart racing. Her body language showed me that she was determined to stab me until I bled to death, and I was more afraid at that point than I had ever been in my life. I took a step back, but she took a step towards me and said, "When I first saw you, I knew I wouldn't like you. I knew that I would grow to despise you, that I would eventually hate everything about you. How convenient it was for my first impression to be my last ."

I _had_ to get out. I looked around for a source of escape, a place where she wouldn't harm me. Scorpion was still outside...if I screamed for him, would he hear me? Would he help me? She continued to walk towards me, the tip of the knife intimidating me more than Scorpion's own attacks.

"You've gotten in the way of everything. You have always been a nuisance."

She grabbed my arm and I yelped loudly. She raised the knife and with a sadistic tone said, "Now stay still, child."

My defensive training automatically kicked in. I kicked her away from me, but the knife had a chance to cut in to my forearm. I watched as she stumbled backwards and knew that it was a chance for me to run. I jumped over the kitchen counter, but before I could reach the door, she sliced my back. I was so intent on getting out of there however that I didn't even feel it. I stumbled to my feet and opened the door. My mother however grabbed my hand and attempted to crush my fingers by slamming the door on them. I reacted quickly and pulled my hand away, kicking her on to the door afterward. The rage on her face was clear, and my baby brother's wailing deafened my thought process. She charged at me and I moved out of the way, her body collided with the counter. I felt for the bothering sting on my back and felt a warm liquid instead, my legs began to tremble when I raised my hand to my face and saw that I was bleeding.

'_This woman is insane..._' I repeated to myself as I continued to dodge her attacks. She was fast, but I was faster. I grew so confident with my movements however that I didn't realize how fast she could be. She pinned me by my throat on to the kitchen floor and as I struggled to get up, she tightened her grip on my windpipe.

"I'm tired of hearing your voice, I'm tired of you." She snarled.

She put my pressure on my throat and I thrust my knee in to her gut to get her to stop. She released me and as I rolled to my knees I whispered, "You're a terrible mother. But I have discovered my purpose in another place, I _am_ destined for greatness."

She paused and her eyes widened slowly. I frowned and slowly turned around only to see Scorpion, the rage in his stance clear.

"Scorpion, get out." My voice trembled as I said it, and that gave him more of a reason to stay where he was.

"What is going on." He demanded.

"It's none of your business, get out." I replied.

"It is my business if you get hurt, and you are _bleeding_. What the _fuck_ is going on."

I gulped slowly. "I'm talking to my mother."

He stormed toward my mother and got right in to her face. "Why is she _bleeding_."

My mother looked too afraid to comment. Of course, who wouldn't be, a specter getting all up in your face isn't exactly a pleasant thing.

"Who...w-who are you?" She asked, trembling violently.

"Scorpion, enough-"

"Who I am is not for you to know. But you do need to know that she is of vital importance for Earthrealm. She is to help fight against Shao Kahn for the safety of the realms."

I couldn't help but facepalm. My mother didn't even know what any of that meant or what it was.

"She is my..." he cringed. "responsibility. You are obviously not a fit mother, for you should know that one should never raise a weapon of any kind at their child."

"Scorpion-"

He turned toward me. "We're leaving."

He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door, but I stopped him before he managed to pop my arm out of its socket.

"Just...give me a minute with her-"

"No."

I raised my eyebrows. "Scorpion, really."

He looked at my mother, then back at me. "I'm staying right here."

"Fine."

My mother still looked scared out of her wits. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "I'm going to be gone for a while and I...I may not come back. You need to take care of my little brother until he leaves this house. At least be kinder to him than you were to me."

She glared at me as I continued. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. You've been a terrible mother toward me, and now I know how you've really felt all these years. But I want you to know that although you put me through years of pain and suffering...you are still my mother. And...I...I admire the fact that you've given me life, even though you regret it."

I took a step toward her as she took a step back. "I...I for...forgive you. For everything. And I love you."

She closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead. "Get out."

I didn't want to cry in front of her, but I couldn't help but let a tear escape. I swiped it away quickly and repeated softly, "I forgive you, Ma."

She slammed her hand against the counter and screamed, "**_Get out!_**"

I didn't jump in fear like I used to do. I simply turned and left the house, Scorpion followed closely behind me. After I closed the door, I heard clashing and slamming throughout the house. More tears ran down my eyes and I couldn't control them at that point. I simply kept walking and allowed for the salty tears to run down my eyes.

* * *

She didn't speak after her encounter with her mother. He couldn't help but feel bothered because he didn't hear the sound of her voice. They had stopped at a park where the cherry blossoms were already in full bloom, she sat down on one of the park benches and simply stared at her hands for over an hour. He didn't know what to say or what to do, he didn't want to make any physical contact with her but he knew that she was hurting and needed something, anything to ease her pain. He stood and watched as the wind blew through her hair, he watched as her tears landed on the palms of her hand, and he felt hopeless. He understood a little of what she went through while she was here and for the first time since his rebirth, he felt pity and sadness for her sake. He admired that she still managed to keep a smile on her face and although her upbeat attitude annoyed him, he still wondered how she managed to keep it.

It was beginning to get darker and he realized that she didn't have a place to stay. She was basically back where she started: in her school uniform, alone, confused, yet somehow...stronger. The winds began to grow colder and the tears which matted her face caused her to shiver. He sat beside her and glanced at her. He hadn't done this since to anybody else but his wife, but he knew that he had to keep her safe. It made it easier for him once he realized that she was worth it.

"Come here." He said gruffly.

She stayed put for a couple of minutes before scooting closer to him. He scooped her up in to his arms with great ease and saw that the warmth from his body created goosebumps on her skin. She tensed up slowly and it created discomfort for him as well.

"Relax." He scolded. "Rest."

He was waiting for her to question him. She didn't. She rested her head on his chest, closed her eyes, and allowed for sleep to take her away.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to answer the question as to why he was doing what he was. All he knew was that he had to protect her not just for Earthrealm's sake...but for his own.


	22. Reunion

**The minute I woke up, I smelled something delightfully familiar.** I flashed my eyelashes and made out the native Lin Kuei symbols around me. I was laying on something comfortable and warm. And as I opened my eyes, I saw Smoke sitting close to me, his habitual playful smirk glided with ease across his face.

"Welcome back, squirt. I've missed you."

I squinted just to make sure I was actually looking at Smoke and not just some mirage of him. I reached out and touched his face and he touched my hand in response. "It's been too long, I see."

"Wha...where-"

"You're back in your room. Scorpion told Raiden what happened to you while you were there and he automatically brought you back. There's a really good chance you won't be going back until _after_ the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament."

I stared at my hands and asked slowly, "Really? He told Raiden everything that happened?"

"I'm not sure he told him everything. But I'd like to know."

I froze. He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled gently. "Whenever you're ready. I'm not rushing you."

Of course I wanted to tell Smoke what had happened. He was a brother towards me, just as he was towards Sub-Zero. I knew that I could pour my heart out to him. So I told him everything from start to finish. I poured my heart out to him like I usually did and even cried a couple of times. He listened to it all, his once happy expression began to fade.

"She...pulled a _knife_ on you?" He asked.

"Yeah...and when I told her that I forgave her, she told me to get out..."

"...What a bitch."

"Smoke."

"What? I know she's your mother and everything, but she pulled a knife on you. That isn't exactly praiseworthy."

"Okay, you're right to a point. But I've forgiven her, if I just abandon that and start insulting her, then what use was forgiving her? Forgiveness symbolizes renewal, not renewed grudges."

"...You weren't kidding when you said that you were good at writing."

I playfully shoved him and he smirked gently. "I'm happy that you're alright. But do you care to tell me why your back and right arm have been bandaged?"

"She managed to slice me a couple of times. It isn't anything too severe though, is it?"

"I don't know, I didn't treat the wounds. And the last person you were around was Scorpion."

"Whoa, wait. Scorpion?"

"Mhm. And Ama, I've got to tell you...he likes you."

"...Smoke, shut up-"

"Just listen, you never listen. He isn't going to tell you this, but he really is starting to like you, Ama. He-"

"Smoke, if you're playing me-"

"Would you shut up and listen?"

I threw myself back on to the pillows and crossed my arms.

"I know it sounds a little weird."

"Try very. Smoke, why would he like me when he has...uh, _had_...a wife?"

"I never said that he wanted your hand in marriage, I'm saying that he has feelings for you which you will never be able to see unless you pay very close attention."

"What are you Smoke, a relationship advice guru?"

"So what if I am?"

"Then there's something else about you that I know!"

He rolled his eyes. "If you know everything, Miss Genius, then you'll know that Scorpion...he's showing that he's more interested in your wellness than that of what he originally fought for."

"He would never do that."

Smoke raised his arms. "Hey, I could be wrong. I'm just saying Ama, keep an eye out. Especially for Sub-Zero's sake."

Sub-Zero! My eyes grew. "Where-"

"He checked on you while you were asleep, but he's back in his office now. Thanks to you, he procrastinated on paperwork and training the other novices. You've taken up a bit of his time."

I bowed my head, ashamed. He chuckled and said, "It isn't all your fault though. He chose to work with you instead of work with the novices. That's been my job ever since you began your training."

I blushed and kept my head down. "I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"He told me that he'd come back in an hour. And," he looked at the clock on the wall. "he should be coming here in a few moments."

I brushed my fingers through my hair and smoothed my shirt out. Smoke rolled his eyes nice again and smiled. "I can see that excited you."

"I haven't seen him in such a long time-"

"It's been a day, Ama."

"Well, a day is a long time when you like somebody, alright?"

He smiled at me. "Yeah, I get that."

I looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I know what you're talking about. I've been there before."

"...What? Oh my gosh, when?! And how?!"

"Would you calm down? You shout all the time, it's starting to get really annoying."

"Just tell me!"

"You remember...Jade. Correct?"

"What do you mean do I remember Jade, of course! She's one of my idols!"

"Right. Well..."

My eyes widened. "Wait, you got together with...Jade?!"

"It's not what you think, alright? I first met her when she came with Kitana to visit Liu Kang. While Kitana was talking to Liu about plans for the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament, Jade and I would...stare at one another. I swear, sometimes you women can be curses. I felt really...well...I felt something weird when I first looked at her. It was like she did something to my head, something that I can never describe or explain. Liu introduced us and when I touched her hand, I...I don't know."

As I listened, my fan-girl mode turned on. I had always seen merchandise with Jade alongside Smoke, I had seen plenty of pictures and fan-art of them together and I had also read different fan-fictions based on them...but it was TRUE! I released a big smile and hugged my arms. Smoke raised his eyebrows and slowly asked, "What?"

"You like Jade!"

He smacked his hand against my lips and glared at me. "Would you be quiet?!"

"Sure, Jade-Lover."

"I don't love...damn, I shouldn't have told you."

"Dude, I knew even before you told me."

He looked at me and asked slowly. "What do you mean."

"Most Mortal Kombat followers support you and Jade as a couple. Probably because you two worked together as assassins-"

"How do you know about that?"

I rolled my eyes. "You guys seem to forget why I'm here, and that hurts. I know this stuff, it's been introduced to me way before it's been introduced to you. Honestly-"

"Ahh, she's up!"

Liu Kang strolled in to the room, his eyes bright and his movements...somehow scary and uncalled for. "How was it, Ama?"

I bowed my head and answered, "I'd rather not talk about it, not now. But I'll have you know that I...I forgave her."

"Who, your...oh."

Smoke put his hand on my back and rubbed it gently. "Sreturning going back there, so there is no need to worry."

"But she is only supposed to stay here for the tournament, that's it." Liu Kang replied.

"I know. But if an abusive lifestyle awaits her, she shouldn't even go back."

"Do you forget what Raiden told us? She doesn't belong here-"

"Yes she does. She belongs here, her purpose is to help us."

"That doesn't mean that she can simply stay here after the tournament is complete, Smoke."

I watched and listened as they tried to get their point across to one another and I couldn't take anymore. I pushed myself off of the bed and stormed away.

"Ama-" Smoke began.

I chose not to listen and I continued walking. I didn't care where I was going at that point; I knew that after the tournament was complete, I would be sent home. The Elder Gods and Raiden would have no need for me anymore, I would be out of Scorpion's hair...figuratively speaking. It would be like I was never here, and I wasn't sure if that hurt me more than my life at home.

I rounded corners and took sharp turns as often as I saw them. The only time I stopped was when I found myself in front of Sub-Zero's office. I paused and tried to control the strong urges I felt just to touch him and feel his touch in return. Would the same thing apply to Sub-Zero? Would he also simply just...forget me when I eventually left? I reached out and touched the doorknob, it's coolness created goosebumps all down my arms. There was no turning back; I turned it slowly and looked in. He was at his desk and he looked tired, like he hadn't slept in ages. He stared at the paperwork in front of him and scribbled some things down, but he looked defeated in some way...and I couldn't understand why. He didn't seem to acknowledge me, so I pushed myself further in to the room. He set his pen down and rubbed his temples.

"You should get some sleep." I managed to say.

He looked up immediately and rubbed his eyes. I smiled at his childlike movements and walked closer to him. "You look exhausted."

He stood quickly, and I could sense that he was about to fall over. I rushed to his side and with all of my strength, held him up. "Sit, you idiot. It's just me."

He continued to stare at me as I helped him sit back down. I stared at him and smiled again. "Sorry. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

He grabbed my arms slowly and stroked my hands. I blinked and blushed gradually as I returned his gestures. "I've missed you."

He didn't respond. He continued stroking my hands and pulled me closer to himself. I didn't know what he was trying to do and it made me quite nervous. I tensed up and he sensed it automatically.

"Relax." He scolded.

I continued to tense up; he pulled me closer and placed his hand on the back of my head. "And don't call me an idiot."

I blushed even more and gulped slowly. He knew exactly how to play with my emotions because right then, I didn't know what to feel or what to do. He removed his mask and placed it on his desk before pulling me even closer. I was very close to him at that point, so close that I could hear his heartbeat. Perhaps even he could hear my heartbeat because I knew that my heart was pounding inside of my chest.

"Welcome back." He whispered gently.

"Thanks..." I squeaked.

"I...understand that you were injured while you were there." He released me from his temporary embrace and stood up tall and strong.

"Y-Yeah. Who, uhm..."

"Scorpion. He came in carrying you and he alone wanted to tend to your wounds."

I smiled slightly and felt Sub-Zero's hand push me aside. He walked to the window and put his hand behind his back. "What happened while you were there, Ama."

I hesitated before explaining everything to him. He didn't react or do anything that could have signified to me that he cared about what I was saying. He simply continued to stare out the window, his hands still behind his back. Eventually, he turned around and said, "That's not what I meant."

I felt a rush of fury run through me at that moment. What did he mean by that? Did he not care what I went through? Did he not listen?! He turned to me slowly and asked, "What's going on between you and Scorpion."

I stared at the ground and replied, "Nothing."

He walked towards me and lifted my chin. "It isn't nothing. Tell me, Ama."

"Sub-Zero, there really isn't anything going on between us. He was supposed to go with me to Anto, that's it. And it doesn't matter anyways. What really matters to me is helping you guys."

"It doesn't matter?"

He took another large step toward me and I stayed put. His eyes expressed pain on all levels, but I didn't know how I could treat it. I was pissed at the fact that he didn't seem to care about what happened to me while I was back home. He just wanted to know my relationship with Scorpion, and to be honest, there was nothing to talk about because it wasn't developing. It sure didn't feel that way.

"There is nothing going on between us, Sub-Zero. Is that...is that what you've been losing sleep over? Do I mean so much to you that you have to think about what I'm doing with other men, dead or alive?"

"Yes."

I froze and felt the blood drain from my face. Really? He lost sleep...because of me? His jealousy of course made sense...but it was for my sake? He walked over to me and cupped my face in both of his hands. I stared in to his eyes, feeling his warm breath run down my neck.

"Ama, you just...you don't get it. I have never...I've...ugh."

"I see you've picked up some of my habits." I smiled.

He stared at me for a bit before chuckling melodiously. I laughed as well and...he just suddenly, uh...he kissed me. It was the most abrupt yet...magical moment I had ever experienced. I don't even know how to describe it...I didn't even know why he did it. I didn't know what to do the moment his lips locked with mine, first off because I had never been kissed and secondly, he didn't even give me an advanced warning that he was going to kiss me. But even as an inexperienced person when it came to things like this, he kissed...very well. I eventually attempted to kiss him back and he welcomed it happily. He held me up in his strong arms which made me happy because it felt like I was about to faint, and he deepened the kiss by holding the back of my head. He eventually broke away and inhaled slowly, but I groaned and held my arms out for him, wanting more and more. He smirked and leaned in to kiss me again just to satisfy me and maybe a bit of himself. When we finally broke away from one another, we were huffing and puffing for air. I threw myself on to his sofa and he sat beside me, his arm over my shoulders.

"Well, that clarifies...everything." I huffed.

Sub-Zero laughed and shifted closer to me. "Not quite."

"What?"

He scooted closer to me and kissed the top of my head. "I've been thinking. And...I would like to propose something to you."

"Really, what?" I asked anxiously.

He put his finger to my lips and smiled. "Shhh."

I giggled and cuddled against him. He took a deep breath and said, "Do you remember how you wished for me to live with you in Japan?"

I nodded quickly. He took a deep breath and continued. "Well...considering the fact that where you live is incredibly dangerous, I was thinking that you should live here. With me. In the palace."

I froze. "R-Really?"

He looked away. "You don't have to give me an answer now of course, it is just...a possibility."

"...This is...a very big proposal..."

"I know." He brought my hands in to his. "But Ama, you are worth it. You can learn more if you agree to stay, you-"

I cut him off by placing my hand on his cheek. "I don't care about any of that. If I am to stay, then I want to stay because of you."

He stared at me before kissing me again. Dang, I could get used to this. Before we could go deeper in to our affections for one other, the door opened abruptly and we both scrambled to our feet. Smoke stood at the doorway and gradually, his eyes widened. "No. WAY."

Sub-Zero was blushing furiously and so was I. Smoke approached us and pointed, his smile growing more and more. "FINALLY! Oh my GAH, do you know how long I've been waiting for this moment?!"

Sub-Zero and I looked at one another, then back at Smoke. Smoke continued to smile like a kid who found a lollipop tied to a balloon. "This is a Kodak moment. Give me a second."

He dashed away from the doorway and I sat up cautiously. "How does he know about Kodak?"

"Who _cares_." Sub-Zero groaned as he tilted my chin and continued kissing me.


	23. Ermac

**Sub-Zero and I were inseparable.** We didn't want to leave one another and he even offered to walk me to the room both of us were staying at. Honestly, this was like a dream that came to life; a ficticious man I've followed and crushed over _kissed me on the lips_. I mean, I never thought that my life could get any better at that point. What made it nicer was the fact that I would be alongside him the whole way, I would be helping him as well as the other Earthrealm warriors win the tournament. My confidence had grown not only because of the intensive training I've gone though, but because of Sub-Zero.

We kissed on another for the last time that night and we went our seperate ways. As I was walking, a felt a spark land on my hand. I jumped and turned my attention to where the spark may have come from and saw Raiden, his hands behind his back and his face straight and serious.

"Ama, there are some things that we need to discuss."

"Uh...yeah, what's up?"

"I hate to make you feel as if I am rushing you, but the tournament is quickly approaching."

"How quickly are we talking about here?"

"One week."

"...Huh! Well then!"

"I apologize for the sudden warning-"

"No, it's...actually, it's not okay. What took you so long? I never really even had a chance to plan anything-"

"Plan? Don't you know what is to happen?"

"Of course, but I have to make things happen...opposite of what you have happen."

"...Do I endanger the Earthrealm warriors?"

"...Well, uh...you do prevent Smoke from becoming a cyborg. You just turn Sub-Zero in to one, and I don't want for that to happen. At all. Not to Sub-Zero."

Raiden stared at me for a little bit. "What is your plan?"

"See, that's the problem, I haven't come up with on yet. Any plan I do come up with, I'll tell you about. Deal?"

He nodded before teleporting away. I sighed and continued on my way, completely aware that somebody else was following me. I rolled my eyes and turned, expecting to see a novice. "Look, just leave me alone or else I'll go all spider monkey on you."

The figure continued to follow me. I smirked and picked up more speed and the figure followed my lead. Tired of what this guy was trying to pull, I turned toward him and saw that he was still lurking in the shadows.

"Listen, if you think that I'm going to allow myself to be attacked, you are wrong on all levels!"

The figure didn't respond. That's when I got angry. I charged at him and swung both of my fists at his head. He dodged them swiftly and easily, which only frustrated me further. I kicked at him, chopped at him, swung at him; he dodged all of my attacks as if it were nothing. I growled and continued my vain attempt to knock him on his ass, but he was too advanced and he continued to avoid my attacks. I finally huffed in frustration and shouted, "What the hell do you want?!"

"Calm yourself, young one."

His voice was sincere and calming all on its own. I relaxed slightly and curled my fists. "If you think I'm going to let my guard down, you've got another thing coming."

The being opened its eyes and they were glowing a bright green. I cocked my head to one side and backed up slowly. He stepped away from the shadows and I gasped slowly.

"Er...Ermac?"

He bowed his head slightly. "We have heard a great deal about you, young apprentice. Our master speaks quite fondly of you."

"Your...master? Uh...wait, are you on Shao Kahn's side? Cuz if you are, then I'll take you down!"

"No, young one. Our master has been trying to fight against Shao Kahn and his forces for the longest time, but he has never been able to take them down on his own. He has even had help from his fellow deities, but he has not found success."

"Okay...uh, who exactly is your master?"

"He is an Elder God. He has been very attached to you since you've arrived in this universe and for a very good reason."

"What reason?" I asked, shaking slightly.

"We have been commanded not to inform you as of yet."

"Pshh, of course."

"Do not be discouraged, young one. Your purpose here is great and of impeccable value."

"I know, I'm supposed to help the Earthrealm warriors with this tournament."

"Indeed. But that is not the only reason."

I raised my eyebrow. "What are you talking about then?"

Ermac sighed and rubbed his temples. "We would rather our master inform you himself."

"Is it anything bad?"

"It depends."

"You aren't helping, Ermac."

His eyes shined with amusement. "He was correct about your endless curiosity."

This Elder God intrigued me, perhaps even more than I intrigued him. I wanted to know more about him and why he was so interested in me, but Ermac interrupted my thoughts. "We have come to assist you, as well as protect you from Shao Kahn's malicious reasons for having you."

"Assist me with what, this upcoming tournament?"

"Precisely."

"Uh...sure, I guess...but I just need to know something."

"Anything, young one."

"...Is...uh...this Elder God...tied to me in any way?"

"We are afraid we do not understand your question."

"Okay, like...is he my family guardian or..."

"We guess you could say that, yes." He nodded.

"Okay, 'I guess' doesn't confirm a lot for me."

"Young one, your curiosity is something to be admired, but you must learn how to control it."

"I know, but...gah, forget it."

He chuckled softly and followed me to Sub-Zero's room.

* * *

"No...it can't be..."

Shang Tsung paced back and forth in front of Shao Kahn while Quan Chi stared at the ground. Shang Tsung stopped and crossed his arms. "Emperor, I swear, I wasn't aware of this."

Shao Kahn drummed his fingers against the armrest of this throne. "There seems to be more and more things that neither of you are aware of!"

Quan Chi glanced at Shang Tsung while Shang Tsung stared at the ground. Shao Kahn stood and clenched his fists. "I don't know how hard it is capture a simple girl, but you two have proved it to be a strenuous act!"

"Emperor-" Shang Tsung started.

"Don't even. You have not even had the courage to disguise yourself as one of the girl's idols and for what reason?!"

"Emperor, it would prove to be futile. She is smarter, she knows more things than she did before. She would surely know that I am not the queen, nor her daughter or her bodyguard. And considering her status-"

"Shut up. I will not allow for you to broadcast her status!"

"I am simply saying emperor, she will eventually find out. And she will surely-"

"I said shut up!" Shao Kahn practically whined. "Her status is the exact reason why she should not be alive in the first place!"

"Emperor, she is protected on all levels. Even if we had all sources for her capture, she would not be able to come in contact with any of them. Her relationship with the Cyromancer has only made him want to be closer to her."

"Her relationship with those around her doesn't matter in the least. I don't care what it takes, if you do not bring her to me, then I will take her myself!"

* * *

"Ermac, what are you doing?"

"We are merely mediating, young one."

"Upside down?"

He opened his eyes and nodded. "It allows for us to clear more of our mind than mediating right-side up. You should try it with us."

"Sure!"

I hung my legs the same way Ermac was and my body hung quite easily. I swayed and stared at Ermac, his eyes closed.

"What should I meditate about?" I asked.

"We suggest you begin thinking about your plans for the upcoming tournament. Our master would be most pleased by it."

That didn't sound like such a bad idea. I closed my eyes and began planning a strategy. Alright; in the beginning of the game, Raiden was fighting an overpowered Shao Kahn and he was losing. All of the other characters, the good, the bad, and the neutral, had been slaughtered. Raiden sent a a vision to his past self to prevent the Armageddon with the words, "He must win." Right. Now, I need to get Shao Kahn to win without killing everybody else. Crap. Okay, I could get Scorpion to...no, that wouldn't work...maybe I could get Liu Kang to...uh...dammit!

"Young one, perhaps you should sit right-side up. I can sense the blood rushing to your head." Ermac said, his eyes still closed.

I sighed and attempted to gracefully and slowly let myself down...yeah, that didn't work. I landed on my head and yelped on the way down. Ermac immediately opened his eyes and jumped down with ease. Show off.

"Young one, are you alright?" He asked.

I groaned as I pushed myself up and replied with a squeaky, "Yeah!"

Ermac watched as I stood up and eventually, returned to his mediation. I had to figure out how I would plan this out...I had to make sure that nobody was killed, but at the same time...what if I had to kill somebody off? I shook my head and stuck to the mentality of keeping all of them alive. I couldn't just single out the characters I liked the most, that wouldn't be fair at all. I left Ermac on his own and began wandering around, thinking of different possibilities. From what Liu Kang told me, Kitana probably already knew that Shao Kahn isn't her father, so she should be rebelling by now. She may have already told Jade the same thing, considering their tight friendship. If Sindel is alive, then she should have already informed her mother...but I wasn't sure if the queen was resurrected already. As for Scorpion and Sub-Zero...Bi-Han may or may not still be alive...gah, I was already so confused! The game helped show what the characters already knew, but now that I was in their universe, they knew more than I thought they did.

"You look constipated."

Smoke was leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed as usual. "Maybe you should consider using the bathroom?"

"I'm not constipated, I'm thinking. Leave me alone." I hissed.

"Whoa, temper. What are you thinking about?"

"How to prevent your ass from being slaughtered."

"Hey, what's your problem?"

I sighed and placed my hands on my forehead. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed out. The tournament is next week and I haven't come up with anything that could help you guys."

Smoke was instantly by my side, stroking my hair. "It'll be alright. Don't let anybody tell you that what you're doing is wrong. You're smart, Ama, and I know that you'll get us through this. You just need to believe that. And once you do, your decisions will make sense to you."

"But that's the problem, Smoke. I don't know what to think or what to do at the moment. I don't know how much you guys know-"

"Don't worry about what we know. We don't know half as much as you do."

I hung my head and he kneeled down. "Hey, look at me."

I did as he said and he continued. "You need to have confidence in yourself. If you don't, then what are we supposed to do? You know what is going to happen, we don't. You know how it is all going to play out, we don't."

"Well, I may as well tell you. The Forces of Light die off, you included."

Smoke's eyes widened. "Huh. That isn't very good."

"No, it isn't. That's what I'm trying to prevent. But what if I end up killing all of you and then some, what if I-"

He put his finger to my lips. "Stop. If you keep thinking that way, it may as well happen."

I whimpered and tried to push myself away from him. He only tightened his grip on me. "Look at the reason you're here, Ama. We know that you will lead us down the right path, we have put our confidence in you. Even Scorpion. He's just too stubborn to admit it."

I smiled weakly and bowed my head. Smoke kissed the top of it and stood back up. "You've got this, Ama. We all know you do."

With that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Back to the drawing board...

* * *

After Ermac's meditation was complete, he snuck to the gardens and made sure that Ama wasn't following him in any way. Once he made it there, he bowed low to the ground and said, "She doubts herself, my liege."

A cloud of purple mist surrounded Ermac. "Yes, I know." A powerful voice boomed.

"What are we to do? If she lacks confidence, she will surely lead us all to our demise." Ermac said.

The purple mist grew and the powerful voice boomed, "She shall not."

"You have put your confidence in her all this time...why?"

The voice did not respond, but the mist grew more and more. "Because she is my own. I have placed my essence in her, she shan't fail."

Before the mist dissipated, it said with grand confidence, "No child of mine is destined to fail."


	24. Nothing More

**"She is the daughter of an Elder God."**

Raiden sat with Sub-Zero and Scorpion as he revealed the truth about their psychic savior. Sub-Zero stared at his hands and Scorpion crossed his arms.

"Does she know about this?" Sub-Zero asked.

"No. And she is not to know about it either."

"Wait a minute, that isn't fair to her." Sub-Zero glared.

"The business of an Elder God and a human is strictly professional, Sub-Zero."

"Yeah, but she isn't fully human now, is she? She's half deity. And she's its daughter, not some random human who doesn't matter." Sub-Zero argued.

"The Elder God will associate itself with her when the time comes. In the meantime, we must support her and help her in any way we can for next week."

Scorpion squinted his eyes and stood up. So the girl had more value than what she seemed to be worth. It somehow boggled his mind to know that she was affiliated with a deity, and it did surprise him. It was crazy how one who seemed so worthless held more worth than the worthy. He left the room and wandered around the palace, unsure of where to go. That's when he spotted her, writing away on an old mahogany desk. He watched as she threw balls of paper in frustration at different directions and he tilted his head in slight fascination. She was somehow fun to watch, her movements either fast and furious or slow and graceful...or something close to graceful. He walked over to her and felt her fury as a ball of paper hit him on his chest.

"No, that won't _work!_ Okay, okay...uhm...maybe if I do...this."

"What are you doing."

She yelped and threw her pencil at him. He caught it before it hit him and threw it on to the ground. "I asked you what you were doing. I didn't expect to be attacked by a small hand-held object."

"You mean a pencil." She sighed. "I'm just planning out a strategy for the tournament next week. It would be nice if I could get my pencil back though."

He just stared at her and watched as she groaned, stood, and grabbed the pencil. Every part of him wanted to express to her who she was in this universe, but he knew that he had to keep it to himself. She scratched her head, took another sheet of paper, and scribbled on it.

"Okay, so...I can get Liu Kang to go _here_...and uh..._dammit_."

Scorpion raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"I'm just thinking."

Scorpion rolled his eyes and walked off. He turned just to catch a slight glimpse of her and he had the sudden impulse to get closer to her, but Sub-Zero beat him to the punch.

"Ama." He called.

She turned around and smiled at him as he approached her. "How are you holding up?"

"I am majorly stressed, Sub-Zero. But I'm holding up just fine."

"Don't wear yourself out too much or else you'll catch a cold. That's the last thing we need happening."

"Yeah, yeah." She blushed.

Scorpion sighed as he listened to them and he watched as they stared at one another with fond affection. He shook his head when he saw her get on her tip-toes and kiss him on the cheek before walking off.

"You aren't going to give up, are you Specter?"

Scorpion growled and stepped forward. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ha, of course you don't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Scorpion asked gruffly.

"I know that you like her, Scorpion."

Scorpion was about to object and Sub-Zero quickly stopped him. "Yeah, yeah. I know what you're about to say, 'No I don't.' But that is complete crap, and you know it."

"Who are you to tell me this? I don't care about what you say or what you think, you seem to forget that-"

"But you began to care about what she thought and said for a long time now, haven't you?" Sub-Zero retaliated.

Scorpion clenched his fists, unsure of how to answer. Sub-Zero sighed and placed his hands on his hips. "Look, what are we going to do here? We can't just keep fighting over her."

"I'm not fighting over her with _you_-"

"You've shown all of us that you like her, Specter. You've displayed your affections quite broadly."

"Enough, I feel no affections of any kind towards her. She may be the daughter of a deity, but she means nothing to me. She is only a pupil, nothing more and nothing less."

"Right. Tell_ her_ that."

"Alright, I will."

* * *

I did what I could when it came to the plans...and honestly, there wasn't a lot that I had to do for the actual tournament itself. I felt a large hand on my shoulder and turned to see Raiden, his sole interest on what I was scribbling.

"How is it coming along?" He asked.

"Well, it's coming. Honestly Raiden...I can't do anything as of yet."

"...What are you talking about?"

"The tournament itself will have to run its own course...I can't control who fights who, that is up to Shang Tsung."

"What does that mean for us?"

"Well, during the tournament...we're just going to have to let things happen."

"We can't, 'Let things happen' Ama. There are lives at stake here-"

"I can't do anything until after the tournament is over. The entire tournament is out of my hands, I can only take over once it is finished! Do you really think that I'm trying to endanger everybody?!"

Raiden glared at me. "Calm yourself."

I inhaled and closed my eyes. "I can't do anything right now. I'm sorry."

I kept my eyes closed because I did not want to cry. Not now. There were too many things to do, crying would have to wait.

"I trust that you will make the right decisions." Raiden sighed.

"Sure." I replied, my voice quivered slightly.

Raiden sighed and disappeared, which a relief to me. I exhaled and released the tears that were within my system, aware that I couldn't hold in any more of it.

"What's wrong with you _now_."

I tried to clear my vision and saw that it was only Scorpion. He was pissed as usual, his arms crossed and his eyes hinting disappointment. "I knew it. It would only take you a matter of days until you finally broke down from all of this responsibility."

I inhaled to the point where I almost choked on the air. I was already in a bad mood, and he seriously wasn't helping. In fact, just having him standing over me only pissed me off and I wanted him gone just so that I could clear my head and work _something_ out after the tournament was complete.

"Scorpion, I really don't have time for you to-"

"For me to what?" He asked, his voice sounded as aggravated as I felt.

"Scorpion, could you just leave me alone?"

"No, I've come to tell you something."

"Then could you tell me now? I'm kinda busy!"

"Busy doing what, crying over how incompetent you are?"

I squinted my eyes. "Don't get started with me, Scorpion."

"What? _'I'm only being honest._' Isn't that what you say?"

I looked away from him simply because I didn't want to have to look at him. He wasn't worth my time and energy, I needed to focus all of that in to the events after the tournament. I tried to move past him, but he blocked any chance of that happening.

"What do you want to tell me?!" I screamed.

"Don't shout at me." He hissed.

"Well, I wouldn't _have_ to if you would just get out of the way!"

I tried to move past him once again and he evaded me as if I were a wisp of smoke. I was frustrated at that point..._very_ frustrated. I balled my fist and thrust it towards his stomach, but he caught it and jerked my wrist back. I grunted gently before I jumped in to the air, my feet aimed at his face. Without any warning, I forcefully kicked him in the face with both of my feet and he quickly let go of my wrist, a pained groan escaped him. I jumped back up to my feet and pushed the hair out of my face, a cocky grin ran across my lips. He jerked his head up, his glare only meant that I was going down, and _quick_. He disappeared and I turned my senses on.

_'Remember. Whenever it gets hot, he's there.' _I recited to myself.

A shuriken pierced my right shoulder and I gasped in complete shock. I knew that I couldn't focus on that; whatever he threw at me, he could have thrown from anywhere. But that didn't tell me exactly where he was, and I couldn't feel his warmth. I closed my eyes and focused.

_'The bastard is probably going to throw more things at you. Don't let him think that you're being vulnerable, wait. Just wait.' _My conscience whispered to me.

I took a deep breath and readied myself for another projectile attack. Sure enough, it came, but I dodged it before it could hit my right leg. That's when I felt warmth. Scorpion swooped in from behind me and pinned me to the ground by my back. I coughed from the impact felt on my stomach, but I wasn't about to show him that he surprised me. I reached for his arm, found it, and threw him over me. Yeah, who knew I had enough strength to do _that_?

Scorpion flew in front of me, but he didn't seem to be ready to give up. He summoned flames from the Netherrealm and I lept over them, my eyes trained on him and expectant for something new and unexpected. He delivered just that; he lept up in to the air with me, his angered expression made me realize that I didn't know how to do any attacks while up in the air. I panicked for a slight second, especially when he roughly grabbed me and started to spin me to the point of dizziness. I knew what he would do next; he would throw me to the ground and land gracefully. But not this time. As he spun me, I thrust my knee in to his stomach and he let go of me instantly; I fell to the ground regardless, but at least he didn't throw me. He landed on his feet, his hand placed over his stomach while I stood strong and ready for the next attack he would throw at me.

"You look at me as if you expect me to say something to you." Scorpion growled, still crunched over.

"No duh, you told me that you needed to tell me something." I barked in reply.

He stood up straighter. "I even wonder if you are even _worth_ speaking to."

My eyes widened and I jumped up, positioned myself to deliver a flying kick, and failed as Scorpion blocked it effortlessly. He shoved my right leg off to the side as if it were nothing but another obstacle and I fell flat on my face. He grunted, amused.

"If...if I'm not worth speaking to...then why are you still here?!" I shouted as I pushed myself off of the ground.

Scorpion still looked amused, my question obviously meant nothing to him. I screamed in pure anger and stood before throwing blind punches and kicks at him, all of which he easily blocked. I tried tripping him, tricking him in to thinking that I was going one way when I wasn't, but nothing worked. He knew exactly what I was going to do, when I was going to do it, and how I was going to do it. It pissed me off and I didn't know what to do at that point.

"You're just a big waste of my time." I sighed as I brushed myself off.

That seemed to set off many triggers for him. He pounced on me, my head crashed against the ground and something heavy fell around my hips. I widened my eyes as I saw him on top of me, his breathing erratic yet even and focused.

"Do you want to say that _**again**_?" He hissed slowly.

I bit my lower lip; of course I would like to say it again. I was just afraid of what would happen to me if I did. "Could you just leave me-"

"You listen here, you pathetic cow. I've come here to tell you one thing and one thing only, and that's the fact that I do not care for you, I never _have_ cared for you, and I never _will_ care for you. You were always a distraction, you tore me away from my original mission and you've been a _pathetic_ excuse of a novice."

He kept his eyes on me as he pounded the ground, its vibration made me quiver slightly. He leaned in and said, "You are nothing more to me than an abused girl who only seeks sympathy."

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless; he had held me in his arms just the other day on a park bench and now he was telling me that I only wanted _sympathy_? He had seen only a fragment of what I went through with my mother, yet he thought that I wanted somebody to _pity_ me? I looked away from him not because I wanted to control tears, no. I wanted to control my anger. I wanted to get away from him, but he held me down to the point where any chance of that diminished. That's when I punched him square in the face, my hardened fists no longer felt the affects of pain. I simply punched him with my left and right fists, my hands moving faster and faster with every blow. He lept off of me and shook his head as I jumped up, tears now pouring down my face.

"Now_ you_ listen, Scorpion! I am sick and tired of you and your ignorant way of thinking! Do you really think that I _want sympathy_ from _you_? Do you really think that I _**wanted**_ you to see what happened to me on a _regular basis_?! I go through hell **EVERY DAY** when I'm there, and I know how you are _probably_ going to show how miserable _you_ are because of the deaths of your family and clansmen, but guess what? Boo-_fucking_-hoo! I never asked you to ignore what you originally fought for, and even if Raiden _made_ you train me, I never _meant_ to get in your way, and honestly, **I dont give a shit if I have**! If I mean nothing to you, if there is nothing more to me than some _girl_ who disturbed your so called 'life', why the hell are you sticking with me and watching me and fucking **continuing to train me**?! Why don't you just_** LEAVE ME ALONE**_?!'

I trembled after I finished my rant and as much as I wanted to pass out, I kept my eyes on him and glared as hard as I could. He wouldn't get to me anymore, I wouldn't allow it. Gosh, what did I even see in him? He was the biggest son of a bitch in the game, he discouraged me numerous times, and now he was telling me that I was basically nothing. I already _knew_ that, he didn't have to say it.

He raised his arm and curled his fingers over his mask. Oh crap, he was going to kill me. I backed up slightly and prepared myself to scream for Sub-Zero's help, but as he took off his mask... it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I would see a simple skull staring at me, no more milky white eyeball substitutes and definitely no more skin. But his milky eyes were still there along with a chiseled and incredibly handsome face. His cheekbones weren't as high as Sub-Zero's, but they were strong and determined, his lips were not to thick or too thin...I don't know how else to describe it, but they were simply _perfect_. His nose was long and straight and the rest of his face is completely indescribable...I could only imagine golden eyes that went along with his golden skin. He stepped toward me, his face straight and serious and I took another step back, still bewildered with the fact that I was staring at his _face_. Not a skull, a _face_ that belonged to _him_.

"The reason I stuck by you was because I saw potential in you. I knew that you were weak, but I knew that I would make you strong _without_ the help of Sub-Zero. And the more you progressed, the more I knew that you would eventually be able to fight."

I tried my very best to pay attention to what he was saying, but it was too difficult. I was looking at _his face_ and _his face_ was looking at mine. He scowled at me and crossed his arms. "Pay attention, girl."

I shook off my dazed state and stared at the ground. He tilted his head up and looked down at me as if he as a king and I was his measly subject. "You have not disappointed me thus far. You have actually impressed me more than the pupils I have trained before you."

I lifted my head and raised my eyebrows. "Really?"

He glared at me once again, obviously not wanting to repeat what he said. I smiled to myself slightly and blushed violently; I had not disappointed Scorpion? That was definitely something to be proud of, right?

"But now you are turning weak."

I stopped smiling and glared at him. He raised his eyebrows and continued. "Do you know what you are doing?"

"Of course I know what I'm doing-"

"Then why do you cry? Why are you stressing over this if you know what you are doing?"

"I'm crying because you are getting in my way-"

"That can't be the only reason, _girl_."

I shook my head in frustration and turned to continue what I was doing in the first place. I had to many things to work on, and he was being a jackass by disrupting me. Scorpion however, was having none of that. He rushed toward me and grabbed my arm, stopping me instantly.

"Let me go!" I screamed at him.

He watched me struggle from his grasp, but he himself expressed nothing. He didn't show that he was amused, or that he simply didn't care...he didn't show anything. I continued struggling and he pulled me to himself quite roughly. I slammed in to his chest, coughed from the impact, and tried once again to push myself away from him. All he had to do was keep his hand on my back and that kept me from getting away. I slammed my fists against his chest and screamed, "Scorpion, what are you-"

He roughly grabbed my hair from the back of my head and forced me to look up at him. I gasped and tried once again to fight him off and he just...stared at me. I didn't know why, but I began to feel something totally different, something that I had never felt when I was around him before. I felt a rush of emotions running through me, most of them involved grief, suffering, and..._love_. I stopped my struggle against him and stared in to those milky globes that were his eyes. I felt enchanted, like he had brought me under some kind of spell. He inched closer and closer to my face and I began turning red once again...uh oh, what was he doing...what was he doing?!

He continued to bring his face closer to my face, our lips getting closer and closer all the while. I felt my face getting hotter because of the heat that he brought along with him on his own, and it didn't feel comfortable, I was sweating rapidly on my own already. His face continued to inch closer to me and I wanted desperately to wipe the sweat forming on my upper lip. Just as our lips were about to touch, he sighed and released his grip on me, my head jerked downward and a yelp escaped my lips. He glared at me once again before putting his mask back on and without roaring in fury like he usually did, flames enveloped his body and he disappeared. I watched as the ashes fell to the ground and I released the breath that I was holding in...he almost kissed me...oh no...


	25. The Trip

_You guys!_

_It has been WAY too long, I'm so sorry. Graduation is just around the corner for me, so I've been incredibly busy with EVERYTHING! Especially finals! My last day of school is soon approaching, and then, I will be able to write more often, even if I have to write on the plane! (Yeah, I'm moving, so things are INCREDIBLY hectic for me right now)! I am SO VERY SORRY!_

* * *

**It had begun.** The tournament would begin tomorrow night, and I was scared out of my mind. I tightened the belt of my brand new outfit, something which Raiden had supplied me with; a black shinobi shozoko with matching fingerless gloves. I was wearing black shoes as well and a black mask was given to me; the only thing that wasn't black was the silky white belt that came along with the outfit. Raiden looked at me, the eye contact was never broken I assure you.

"Alright, Ama. We're about to get on the ship, are you sure you have everything you need?"

"Yes." I replied with a confident nod.

Raiden nodded as well and turned his attention to our mode of transportation. I watched as Smoke helped Sub-Zero lift things like common necessities on to the ship and two other men whom I've met in the game but not in person strolled on to the boat, one was proud and refined while the other was making sure that he was watching his step. I squinted my eyes and tilted my head as I watched them board.

"Cyrax and Sektor." Smoke grunted as he lifted another box. "Sektor-"

"Was once the son of the Grandmaster until Sub-Zero took over. Sub-Zero has a lot more to prove than Sektor anyways." I huffed.

Smoke chuckled and nudged me with his elbow. "Don't let him hear you say that. He's known not to show any mercy."

"I'm fully aware." I countered.

I watched as Cyrax boarded and I dropped my head. The days before this one had gone by quickly, and all of my planning would have to be applied at some point, perhaps even my training. I watched as Raiden spoke with the captain of the ship, I watched as Sub-Zero and Smoke exchanged words before carrying on with bringing other things on to the ship, I watched as Ermac...uh...watched me. I watched as Liu Kang meditated in the gardens which I had held dear to me, where Sub-Zero kissed me on the cheek...

My thoughts then ran to Scorpion. I hadn't seen him since he almost kissed me, and that was a while ago. I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and knew that now wasn't the time to be thinking about love lives or who I wanted to be with, it wasn't about me right now. It was about the Forces of Light and what I could do to help them. Those petty things would have to wait some other time.

"Ama."

My eyes snapped open as Sub-Zero walked over to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Do I have a choice?" I giggled.

He gave me a sad, sympathetic look before nodding his head. "I understand how heavy your burden must be. Know that we're here for you all the way through."

"You guys had better not die on me." I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I was about to say the same thing to you, Ama." Sub-Zero said gravely, his expression turned somber. He kissed me gently on my forehead and continued packing the ship. I took deep breaths before Ermac approached me.

"How are you, young one?"

"I'm...I'm fine." I squeaked.

"You are nervous, no doubt."

"Well, yeah...I mean, protecting a whole bunch of people was never my cup of tea, this is actually the first time I'm protecting somebody other than myself...and this time, hopefully it's effective..."

"Just as Smoke said, young one. You are capable of anything."

"Just like everybody else." I sighed.

"No, you misunderstand what we are saying, you are more capable of this seemingly impossible feat than anybody else is."

"What are you talking about, I don't have anything celestial to offer or anything like that. And no offense, but you're pretty dumb to believe that I do."

Ermac squinted his eyes. "We are dumb?"

"...Forget it, Ermac." I giggled.

"Everything is on board and ready to go. Are you sure you've got everything?" Smoke asked casually.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I replied.

"Before we leave, I would like to introduce you to a few more members of the Forces of Light." Raiden said, appearing out of nowhere.

I watched as Jax, Sonya, and Johnny came on to the scene. I tried to cover a big grin once I saw them; I was ready to burst in to fangirl mode. Johnny approached me first and with the cockiest smile said, "You must be that one chick who can look in to the future!"

I nodded slowly and eventually released my big grin. "And you're Johnny Cage!"

He gave me a welcomed yet disturbed look. "That's my name, don't soil all over it! No doubt you've seen my movies! Which one is your favorite?"

"Well, I-"

"I must say, I think 'Ninja Mime' was my favorite one. I perfected every move that the director wanted me to do, heck, I even added some moves of my own!" Johnny beamed.

"Uhm...great! I've never-"

"Is it a bit weird if I say that I imagined you a tad bit...bigger? Not fat or anything because that would just be pretty damn unattractive, but I thought you were going to be some muscular hot chick." Johnny commented as he examined me closely.

I stopped smiling, blushed deeply, and frowned gravely. "Jeez, thanks."

"...For what?" He asked cluelessly.

"Excuse him, he's a little slow. I've known him for a good seven minutes and I know that." Sonya butted in.

"Hey, you know how I am, babe!" Johnny smiled.

Sonya rolled her eyes, punched him in the gut, and offered me a genuine smile. "Nice to meet you. Your name?"

"A-A...Ama. Ama Haruki." I replied, my grin returning along with a deep blush.

"Pleasure. I'm Sonya Blade and this is my partner Jax." Sonya motioned to Jax and grinned slightly.

"Nice to meet you, Ama. Hey, how did you manage to come here again?"

"I honestly have no idea! I was just playing Mortal Kombat one night and...well, here I am!" I giggled.

"So that's what this tournament is called, huh? Well, what a coincidence it is that you're here, we were told that you were psychic and that you knew the events of the tournament." Sonya said with her hand on her hip.

"Really? H-how did you find out?" I asked bashfully.

"Through the Special Forces. Everybody was talking about you, but you don't look like some amazing demi-goddess type lady that they said you were. No offense of course." Jax replied.

I wasn't sure whether to take offense...I knew that I was a normal girl, but golly, did they really expect a big-breasted, tiny-waisted, petite-yet-muscular type of girl? Pssh, too bad, I was a reality figure compared to Sonya.

"Hey, would you tell me what happens to me in the future? You know, you being psychic and all!" Johnny asked with a mischevious smile.

"Uh...I don't even know if I'm allowed to, but I can tell you that you survive the entire ordeal!"

"Sweet!" Johnny smiled.

Sonya and Jax looked at one another; I could tell that they wanted to ask me how they turned out and I was about to tell them until Raiden appeared out of nowhere.

"Enough. Stop asking the girl such questions, she needs to focus." Raiden chastised.

Raiden walked off and Johnny put his hands on his hips. "Jeez, what's wrong with him?"

"Wait a minute, you guys don't know who he is?" I asked quickly.

"No. I don't think I want to. I like his hat, but that's about it." Johnny frowned.

"Sonya, I'm about to board the ship. I'll see you in a few minutes." Jax said as he saluted her.

"Right. See you then." Sonya replied.

"I'm going to stick with you, baby." Johnny flirted, his hand hovering over Sonya's shoulder.

She grabbed his arm and, with grace and ease, threw him in front of her. I jumped from the impact and my eyes widened once she slammed her foot on his chest.

"Get away from me." She condemned.

She kicked him away with great force and Johnny staggered to his feet. His mouth wide, he tongued, "Yeah, I'll just...get on the...the ship..."

I watched as he wobbled up the ramp and Sonya huffed in amusement. "He's been bugging me since we met, which was about nine minutes ago and counting."

"Huh..." Was all I could say in return. I came to the realization that Sonya was the first female I had met here. She had the same body parts as I did, she was a woman. I looked around and payed attention to the men as they talked to one another...as much as I enjoyed their company, specifically Smoke's and Sub-Zero's, the company of my own gender helped me feel more at ease; feelings of insecurity would eventually rise of course since Sonya, as well as the other female characters, were fully developed and I...well, wasn't. Yet! But that didn't matter. I inched closer to Sonya slightly and she looked down at me. "Something wrong?"

"Nope!" I chirped.

She raised her eyebrow at me before turning her attention to the men. "You're an odd one. But, as long as you're watching out for us, you have my respect."

"R-R-Really? Wow, that means a lot!" I smiled.

She looked down at me again, nodded, and boarded the ship along with Jax and Johnny. Sub-Zero approached me once again and said gently, "We're ready to board."

"Yeah, I...I know." I gulped.

Sub-Zero stared at me for a little while before taking my hand in to his own. "Come on."

I took small steps toward the ship; I was afraid. I had never been more afraid in my life, but there really was no turning back now. I was here, I accepted the task that had been assigned to me, and as much as I wanted to run away from this responsibility, I had to face it. Sub-Zero's large hand squeezed my petite fingers and I squeezed his hand back just to let him know that I was alright. I was going to be alright. Everything would be fine.

"Welcome aboard the lovely ship of boxes!" Smoke proclaimed, his hand waved effortlessly towards the many boxes which he helped carry. I laughed and released Sub-Zero's hand before crashing in to Smoke's chest and bringing him in to a tight embrace. He looked down at me with great confusion, but chuckled softly and stroked the back of my head. "You're hopeless, you know that?"

"Thanks to you." I mumbled in to his chest.

His gentle stroking of my hair turned in to a rough noogie; I pushed him off of me and grinned. "Oh no you don't."

"Says who?" Smoke crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side.

"Stop it, both of you." Raiden scolded again.

"Raiden, let her have some fun. You know where we're headed, we know where we're headed, she knows where we're headed. Give her some time to enjoy herself, it may be the last time." Smoke countered.

Raiden looked at Smoke, then at me. "Do not distract yourself from the mission at hand, young one."

"Yeah, got it." I replied.

Raiden groaned before he left us to ourselves. It felt like I was sentenced to die or something, but I doubted that I would compete in the tournament itself...oh hell, what if I did die? I mean, I thought of the possibilities and everything, but what if it actually freaking happens to me? That isn't a very good thing, if I die, my soul doesn't go to those nice Pearly Gates, it probably goes to Shang Tsung! Oh noes!

Smoke smacked the back of my head again and I yelped from the impact. "Hey!"

"Would you shut up? Dammit, your thoughts are as loud as a scream from some horror movie." Smoke griped.

I kicked his leg and moved out of the way before he could retaliate. We fought one another playfully for a good ten minutes; I didn't even realize that the ship was already moving, and I doubt that Smoke realized it as well because he was distracted by me. I threw myself on top of him and he grunted slightly.

"You've gotten heavier. What have you been eating?" He asked.

"Just the stuff you've been feeding me. And do you really think I'm gaining weight?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Oh my goodness, awesome! I can finally develop some curves and possibly tone down the extra fat after my breasts grow out-"

"Whoa, too much information." Smoke replied, his hand covered my mouth quickly.

I moved his hand out of the way before giggling and apologizing. Smoke squinted his eyes at me and said, "You know, you're the first girl I've met who is actually happy that she is gaining weight."

"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not like other girls. And that depends; have you met a lot of girls?"

"Obviously. And that was a low blow, you know it." Smoke sighed.

"Oh, you have met one girl in particular! What was her name again...oh yes, JADE! " I yelled.

"...Your ass is mine, you little turd." Smoke smirked.

"But I thought that the only ass you'd want would be Jade's!" I laughed.

"Would you two stop it? I'm trying to meditate." Liu Kang shouted.

Smoke looked up at him and poked me gently. I looked at Liu Kang as well and asked, "What?"

"You want to play a game?" Smoke asked mischievously.

"I'm up for it!" I smiled.

"Alright. Down at the bottom of the ship, there are some supplies. In one of the corners are some eggs. Take a couple of them and bring them back up."

I narrowed my eyes at Smoke. "You want to throw eggs at him?"

"Something like that. Go."

"I don't know, Smoke. He's meditating-"

"He disturbed our conversation."

"I don't know if I would call if a conversation-"

"Go, Ama."

I sighed, lifted myself off of him, and wobbled down to the storage room. I looked around the poorly lit room and wobbled around for about two minutes trying to find the eggs. I heard something crack just as I found them and I turned quickly.

"Who's there." I demanded.

Nothing. Eh, it was probably just the ship being...shippy. I turned my attention back at the eggs and heard the crack again, only it was louder this time. I spun around and clenched my fists. "Look, if there are any creeps down here, I suggest you leave me alone or else!"

It was quiet once again. I huffed and turned towards the eggs again; the crack returned, and I decided to ignore it, but my senses were still on. Somebody was down here, and they either wanted to test themselves when it came to stealth (which they were failing at miserably), or they wanted to play a prank on whoever came down here and I just happened to be customer number one. I growled gently as I picked up a couple of eggs and I heard the cracking sound once again, and it was close. I spun around, threw the eggs, and saw that they landed on Scorpion's torso. I yelped in shock and flew backwards, my back slamming against the rest of the eggs. The sharpness of the shells made me bite my lip just to keep a scream from echoing throughout the place, and Scorpion stared down at me, his glowing eyes showing no sort of emotion. I huffed and lifted myself up; Scorpion watched me and wiped the remains of the eggs from off of his attire.

"What are you...what..." I gasped, trying to regulate my heartbeat.

He didn't say anything. He didn't even move. He just stared at me and blinked occasionally, but rarely. I shook my head and felt my back; it was wet, soppy, sticky, and sharp. I automatically blamed Smoke, if he had not sent me down here, I wouldn't have gotten in to any of this mess. I manuvered my way around Scorpion and groaned with great frustration. Had Scorpion not been down here like a creeper, I wouldn't have destroyed the eggs...dammit, I hoped there were more eggs.

"You have the annoying habit of blaming everybody else but yourself."

I turned around and stared at Scorpion. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, girl."

"Well, I didn't talk to you. I wasn't speaking to you-"

"I don't care." He returned.

I knew to stay calm around him. Yeah, I could throw a tantrum at him and it would be all fine and dandy for a while, but he would get angrier than I ever could and yeah, he had the capability to kill me. I raised my arms in submission and shouted, "You know what, whatever. You win. I'm tired of arguing with you over nothing."

I pushed myself away from the eggs and heard him say, "There are no more eggs thanks to you."

"Okay, what do you want me to do about it?"

He glared at me. "You don't deserve to eat."

I shot him a confused look. "Are you being serious right now?"

He didn't respond, his casual glare still present. I placed my hands on my hips and stomped my foot, frustrated by his repeated and ignorant behavior. "Look, we need to talk about what happened at the palace."

His glare deepened. "No we don't."

"Uh, yes we do. What were you even thinking, Scorpion? What were you trying to-"

"We aren't talking about this." He boomed.

I refused to give in. I clenched my jaw and repeated my question. He looked like he was trying to compose himself, and I was mentally and physically preparing myself for anything physical he could have done at that moment. He didn't break eye contact with me, but he didn't answer my question either, and I was getting pretty damn impatient.

"Just answer me, Scorpion! You almost kissed me while we we there, why? Huh? What was your intention?!"

His glare lightened slightly. I continued, aware that he could come at me at any moment. "Do you not remember what you had? Do you just choose to forget?"

He tensed up and spoke with a threatening tone. "Do not speak about what you do not know about, girl."

"Do not know about? News flash, I know! I know everything about everybody here, and I know everything about you!"

Scorpion clenched his fists. "Enough."

"I know that your father forbade you from joining the Shirai Ryu because he didn't want such a life for you, because even though he himself was a member, he only wanted what was best for you, and the Shirai Ryu wasn't supposed to be an option. Shoot, I know you joined for your family's sake, but damn it, if you listened to your father, you wouldn't be where you are now. I know how you got your code name, your enemies were so afraid of your quick and deadly attacks and your allies were so awe-inspired by them that everybody who came in to contact with you called you 'The Scorpion', I know that you were married, I know that you had a son, I know that you wanted your family to grow. I know that you had friends, I know that you hung out with many of your clansmen and even though you resented some of them while you were still alive, I know how much you wish they were in your company once again."

I took a step forward and whispered, "I know your name is Hanzo Hasashi. I know that under your tough and intolerant exterior is a man who grieves, who cares, and who remembers."

Scorpion tensed up even more and clenched his fists tightly. "Stop."

"I know everything about you, yet you continue to underestimate me."

He turned away from me and pounded the crate next to him. I took a timid stop toward him. "Scorpion..."

"You only know the basics, girl. You know nothing else but basics. It seems that this game only skimmed the surface of who I was and why I became who I am today."

He turned and took a step toward me, his eyes bore deep in to my eyes. "You are correct when you said that my name was Hasashi, Hanzo. You are correct when you said that I had a...a wife and child. You are even correct as to how I obtained my code name. But you don't know how much I loved my wife and child, you don't know how many clansmen I had, you don't know how I was."

I stared up at him and tried to control my argumentative side. I wanted him to continue and surprise me. He did. "You don't know that my wife was pregnant with another child. I was to have a daughter...a healthy baby girl..."

He took a deep breath and continued. "You don't know that I used to hunt for the rest of my clan. They looked up to me to provide them with food and shelter, and I didn't disappoint...I couldn't disappoint. You don't know that I was the son of the Grandmaster himself, I was not simply the son of a member of the clan."

He took another step toward me and I could no longer look at him. I was totally ashamed of myself, I had underestimated him. After all of this time, he was right...I had only known the basics.

"You know nothing but the basics. And the reason I...I was so close to you before?"

He got even closer and it was my turn to tense up. He took another deep breath and said, "You remind me of my wife in many ways. Not by physical appearance, not even her soul being reborn in to your body, no. You started off weak and you somehow became strong. That was how Kana was..."

I shivered from the power in his voice, goosebumps ran all up and down my skin. His voice turned rough as he said, "I suggest you do more 'research' if you will, before you make obtuse judgements, Miss Psychic."

I felt my heart burst out of pity and anger, all towards him. He turned away from me and I stared after him as he climbed up the stairs. Smoke, obviously aware of Scorpion's presence, brushed past him roughly and made his way toward me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded slowly as I continued to stare after Scorpion. Smoke sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Liar. What the hell happened?"

"Nothing, I was just talking to Scorpion." I mumbled, annoyed.

"So, why are there egg remains all over your back?"

"Because I bumped in to them while I was getting a couple of eggs, that's why!"

"Whoa whoa, why are you so pissed off? I didn't do anything to you."

"You sent me down here to get eggs to throw at Liu Kang! If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have ran in to Scorpion!"

"Wait, what did he do to you?"

"Never mind, I need to clean myself up."

I pushed past Smoke, frustrated with him for having sent me down to get the damned eggs. I was also frustrated with myself for having listened and done it...why was Scorpion even down there to begin with? Did he know that I was coming or something? Did Scorpion want to make me feel like crap again? I brushed past crew members as well as contestants for the tournament and finally bumped in to Sonya. She turned quickly, obviously annoyed. When she saw me, her annoyed look didn't dissipate.

"Hey, I don't mean to be rude, but would you watch where you're going?" She grumbled.

"I'm sorry..." I blushed and took a step back. She stared down at me and put her hand on her hip.

"Is something up?"

"No...well, yes...ugh...it's complicated."

She stared down at me and said, "Then, let me help. I'm bored out of my mind anyhow."

I showed a sign of relief; a woman would help me with guy problems. I had never had that, considering how my mother didn't seem to care that I would one day meet a man as complicated as Scorpion. Or, an undead man...never mind. Sonya leaned against the side of the ship and I followed her lead.

"So, speak your mind. What's going on?"

"...Well...see, it's...about this...guy..."

"Ah, boy problems, huh? Continue."

I stared at the water and said, "Well, he isn't necessarily a boy anymore..."

"Oh, he can't be that much older than you then. How old is he?"

"See, he doesn't necessarily have an age either..."

"Okay...uh...just who exactly are we talking about here?"

"I don't think you know him yet, but...his name is Scorpion."

"...What kind of mother would name her child Scorpion?" Sonya spat.

"No, actually, that's his code name...his real name is Hanzo."

"Okay, what kind of name is Hanzo-"

"Sonya. Seriously."

She stared at me for a bit before apologizing. I told her everything about Scorpion, all down to the fine details. She listened intently and commented every now and then. After I finished speaking, she stood up straight and brushed her bangs away from her face.

"Well. It seems to me that you have a real issue on your hands. This Scorpion guy shouldn't be taken lightly, I get that...but still. From what you've told me, there's more to him than some tough guy."

"That's what I truly believe. I just don't know if he does as well."

"Well, in the end, that's not really not up to you. It all comes down to him. And considering the fact that he's dead, something I cannot get over for the life of me...I don't think he cares anymore about what anybody thinks of him, or how they'll react whenever he does something considered absolutely rude and all, you know?"

"Yeah..." I sighed.

"As for this Sub-Zero guy? That's all up to you. Do you like him?"

"Yes, I do."

"And you also like this Scorpion, after all of the stuff he's put you through?"

"I just don't even know anymore...it's all so confusing, and I'd rather focus on the tournament and helping you guys out more than this stupid boy trouble stuff."

"Well, I don't know how this could help you, but it's something my father once told me. When it comes to guys, forget about it."

"...Yeah, that doesn't really help."

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Sonya sighed.

* * *

Shang Tsung watched the seas carefully, his hand gently stroking his beard. Quan Chi stood beside him, his hands nonchalantly placed on his hips.

"She is coming." Quan Chi spoke.

"Yes. At the speed the ship is going, they should be here by tomorrow evening. Perfect timing." Shang Tsung replied.

Quan Chi nodded and watched as the waves crashed against the rocks gracefully. He didn't like Shang Tsung simply because the sorcerer tried to out-beat him when it came to power and ability. The sorcerer would surely steal the girl's soul the first chance he had. Luckily for him, he was powerful than Shang Tsung, and that is what started the cycle of resentment. But the truth was obvious; Shao Kahn wanted the girl for himself. If any of the sorcerers stood in his way, he would surely terminate both of them. Shang Tsung looked over at Quan Chi and Quan Chi returned his look.

"Once that girl comes, do not let her out of your sight. I'd like to see what kind of power a child of an Elder God possesses." Shang Tsung smirked.

* * *

"Oh crap!"

I backed away from the corner of my small cabin slowly. My skills wouldn't apply in such a dire situation, and it scared the hell out of me. Before long, Sub-Zero crashed through the door, his eyes wide. He looked like he was prepared to take down a bandit, and I sure was happy he looked like he was.

"Ama, what's wrong? What happened?" He huffed, seemingly dumbfounded yet prepared by my scream.

"In the corner..." I whispered. "There's a...a..."

"A what, what is it?" He demanded carefully.

"A...cockroach..." I finished.

Sub-Zero lowered his shoulders and rolled his eyes before proceeding to the corner of the cabin. He slammed his hand over the cockroach, killing it instantly. I watched and made sure that I was dead before smiling sheepishly at him. "Hehe, sorry...it was a cockroach and I don't...like...cockroaches."

He didn't look amused. "You woke half of the ship up for a little cockroach?"

"Hey, I have a phobia for bugs. Small, big, whatever. And did I really wake up half of the ship?"

He wiped the remains of the cockroach on a small towel of mine, his unamused look still present. "Yes. Here I thought you were being attacked."

"I'm sorry..." I blushed.

He sighed and pecked me gently on my forehead. "It's alright. Just don't be a wimp."

"Hey, I am not a wimp!"

He raised his eyebrows and pointed to the cockroach remains on the wall. I blushed more, determined not to lose my case. "Well, that thing was abnormally huge, you saw it!"

"It was as big as the cockroaches in the Palace, and as I recall, you lived there for quite some time."

"Hah, I didn't see any cockroaches!"

"That's because the place is constantly clean."

I crossed my arms, still determined. "Well, you could have at least told me that there were cockroaches there!"

"Why would I have done that? Your recent reaction was a good indication that I shouldn't have." He retorted.

"...You're good. But so am I!"

He rolled his eyes again, took a couple of steps toward me, placed his hands over my cheeks, and kissed me passionately. My eyes widened before I slowly submitted and kissed him back. Once he released me, I continued to pucker my lips up, expecting more. He laughed gently and said, "At least that shut you up."


	26. A Little Setback

**It was a shocker for me to see Sub-Zero sleeping peacefully on the ground.** Somehow, I couldn't sleep...probably because I was too afraid that another cockroach would find its way towards me, I don't know. But never-the-less, Sub-Zero was still there. I looked around for some indication as to what time it was, then remembered that I was in a windowless cabin. Duh. I slowly got out of bed and creeped up the stairs; thankfully, Sub-Zero didn't wake up. I slowly pushed the door open and felt the cool sea breeze embrace my face...it felt calming enough, so I inhaled as much air as I could and allowed my hair to smack me in the face. The sun wasn't out yet, and it seemed that it wasn't close to coming out anytime soon. I closed the door behind me slowly and softly before wobbling to the side of the ship. That's when I saw Smoke, his hair blowing effortlessly in the wind, a jacket laced over his shoulders, and his eyes focused on the cold, claiming waters. I wobbled over to him, but he didn't seem to notice. I poked him softly on his arm and he jumped slightly before looking down at me.

"What's up?" I asked.

He looked back at the water and replied with a soft, "Nothing."

I leaned over just to try and catch eye contact with him...he seemed enchanted with the water, almost like he was waiting for a siren to come out and sing to him. I shivered as the wind continued to blow over me and Smoke noticed. He opened his jacket, I walked in to it, and he effortlessly zipped it without saying a word; he didn't make some snide remark about me being too small to emit any sort of body heat, he didn't even ask if I was warm. Something was wrong.

"So, you couldn't sleep either?" I asked giddily.

"Mmm." He grunted.

...Okay, that didn't answer my question. I placed my hand under his and reveled in it's warmth; he jerked back slightly and said, "Your hands are freezing."

"It's cold out here." I replied, happy that he said something.

"You shouldn't be out here. You should be getting some sleep, tomorrow is a very important day." Smoke scolded.

"You are being awfully protective for some reason, Onee-san."

"Why shouldn't I be? Ama, I never told you this and I sure as hell haven't expressed it much, but...I'm worried about you."

I froze and tensed up. Smoke...worried? And the fact that he responded to my Onee-san comment gave me goosebumps along with the wind bringing up the cold from the water. "Why are you worried? I've never seen you worried...well, except when I got stuck in the Netherrealm...and I'm sure there were other occasions, but I don't recall them right now."

Smoke stayed silent for a second. "I care for you, if that hasn't been made obvious. Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, Shao Kahn...they aren't fooling around. They mean business, and it's obvious that Shao Kahn wants you."

"I don't know why, I don't have a lot to offer. I'm still a novice after all-"

"Your skill in kombat is not what he wants, Ama." Smoke barked.

I stayed silent and waited for him to speak. I had already interrupted his thoughts after all, so I understood his frustration. He took a deep breath and continued. "That isn't what he wants. There's something more to you, something I can't say."

I cuddled against his tensing arms and he relaxed slowly. "You can tell me, Smoke. We tell each other everything, remember?"

Smoke let out a soft laugh and replied, "Yeah...yeah we do, don't we..."

Something was definitely up. He didn't usually act like this, and it worried me greatly. I placed my hand above his and stroked it lovingly. "You taught me something, Smoke. Not by physical training, but by something totally priceless."

"What's that?"

"Love."

He looked down at me quickly and I smiled brightly. "Oh yeah, you heard me correctly."

He stared at me and said nothing. I looked away from him and stared at the water as well, seeing why he was so enchanted with the waves. That's when he hugged me tightly and buried his face in my hair. I blushed by the instant contact, but embraced his arms as best I could; what I said was true. Smoke was the first person I met when I came in to this universe, sure, but he treated me like a younger sister. He took care of me, tended to my needs, and played around with me. We told one another everything and opened up our lives to one another; although I had already known he was an Enenra and he knew that I knew, he told me anyway. I told him about my life down to the nitty gritty details and he accepted me while others turned their backs on me. I loved him, truly, as a little sister loves her older brother. I heard him sniffing gently and my eyes widened; I looked back and saw that his beautiful gray eyes were wet with tears. I gasped and quickly wiped the tears riding down his cheeks and he smirked once I did.

"Stop being such a perfectionist." He commented, his voice broken slightly.

I was about to argue that I wasn't...but it was better not to. I turned around, still wrapped snuggly in his jacket, and wrapped my arms around his waist. He didn't hesitate as he returned my gesture, only his left hand was placed on top of my head.

"Here I was thinking that my only family was with Sub-Zero."

I giggled and felt my own eyes begin to tear up...oh no...I hugged him tighter to try to get the tears to stop, but that was a bust. I started bawling my eyes out and Smoke laughed gently, more tears coming down from his eyes. Once we finally calmed down, we continued to watch the water effortlessly enchant us.

"Ama?"

"Yeah?"

"If you _ever_ tell anyone about that, I will _kill_ you."

"I know you will, Smoke. I know."

* * *

I woke up on something warm and cozy...it was funny because I didn't even recall dozing off. As I regained more of my consciousness, I saw that I had slept on Smoke, his jacket still wrapped tightly around us. I lay on him for a while longer and pondered our conversation from last night...what did he mean by there being something more to me that Shao Kahn wanted? Was that why Smoke was so worried about me?

Smoke groaned and accidentally nudged my head with his elbow. I yelped on impact and that woke him up, but instead of moving quickly and muttering an apology like I thought he was going to do, he lazily shifted his body and said softly, "You were in the way."

I smiled and playfully smacked him on his forehead. He jerked upward, his hair sticking in all different directions only made me laugh. He stretched and I saw that as the perfect opportunity to do the same; I closed my eyes and pointed my arms upward. Smoke pushed my arms down and clenched his jaw. "Set your arms down, would you? They're all up in my face."

I giggled even more just by how he was speaking with me. He rolled his eyes and stood up, my body jerked up alongside with him. He unzipped his jacket and as I tumbled out, he walked to his room without another word to me. Soon enough, he came back out and stared at the sky.

"It's still awfully dark out, isn't it?" He asked.

I looked around just so see what he was talking about, and he was right. What the hell, I thought we had been asleep for more than six hours, why was it still dark?! Smoke froze and became pale quickly...uh oh.

"Ama, get down."

"Wait, what-"

"Get down!"

Smoke shoved me down and my face painfully planted on the deck. I looked up, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but he was covered in smoke, his fists were clenched tightly, and his face expressed nothing but anger. I was too afraid to ask him what was going on and I was too afraid to move from where I was pushed down...what was wrong? Raiden immediately appeared from the top deck and looked up at whatever Smoke was looking at. I was too afraid to look up, but I rested on my elbows; bad idea. Raiden pushed me down further and with more authority than a General said, "You need to stay down."

...Stay down from what, what was up there?! Sub-Zero burst through my cabin door again and Scorpion appeared from out of nowhere, all of them looking up at the sky. Liu Kang, Kung Lao (which I still needed to personally meet), Cyrax, Sektor, Sonya, Jax, Johnny, the ones I knew where all there...I grew very anxious. What was going on, what were they doing, what was up there? Were we all going to die?! I thought we were all going to die on Shang Tsung's island...wait, were we there already?! Oh crap!

"Ama, shut up!" Smoke hissed.

Oops.

"Sonya, take Ama in to the storage room." Raiden commanded.

"No way, these things are too dangerous for her, it could easily reach her from the storage. Besides, you need a woman's influence, you're all just a bunch of aimless punks."

"Ouu, feisty. I like." Johnny winked.

"We don't have time for this!" Liu Kang shouted.

"Liu Kang is right. We have to think of something else." Kung Lao said calmly.

"Too late." Johnny pointed towards the tiny balls flying towards us.

Sub-Zero scooped me in to his arms and shouted, "Move, move!"

I stared at the balls and couldn't help but feel enchanted by them. Sub-Zero shook me violently and said, "Whatever you do, don't look at them. Whatever you do, understand?"

I nodded and focused on him instead. A ball landed in front of him and he reacted to it immediately; he dropped me and fell to his knees, covering his nose and his mouth as much as possible. I gasped, crawled over to him, and saw the gashes and cuts he had...those weren't there before... what was in those balls? I shivered from the adrenaline pumping through my veins and I tried to get him to his feet.

"Sub-Zero, come on, you have to get up!"

His eyes looked panicked as he looked at me, his nose and his mouth still covered by his hand. I wasn't sure what he was trying to express, but I started feeling woozy and weakened...there was definitely something in those balls. Still determined to get him away, I pulled at his arm and he followed my lead accordingly. The more I pulled him, the weaker I got; my eyelids started getting heavier, my breathing uneven, my eyesight blurry, and every part of my body just wanted to shut down. I tried to regain whatever strength I had previously, but it was useless. I fell to the ground and closed my eyes for what seemed like a second.

"Stupid girl!" Scorpion hollered.

My eyes lazily popped open and I felt something warm wrap around my body...I was simply too tired to see who it was, although I had a hunch as to who it could have been.

"Idiotic, foolish, stupid girl."

I wanted to reply, but discovered that I couldn't. It felt like I had chewed too much like cotton for me to say anything.

"Stay awake, you hear me?! _**Stay awake!**_"

I groaned with the true intention to say, "I will, would you stop screaming, you deranged lunatic?!" But as much as I tried to do as he said, I couldn't. I needed to close my eyes, I needed to rest. My body slumped against his own...and the last thing I heard him shout was my name.


	27. Betrayal

**It was the first time I had ever heard him say my name**. Usually, he called me girl or something of less significance, but this time, he called my name.

* * *

"Wake up. **You need to wake up!**"

Scorpion felt that he was chanting these words only to himself. Ama had already closed her eyes and he knew that if he didn't get her to safety, she was a goner. He glared at the incoming balls and, with her still in his arms, he leaped in to the air and landed on a higher part of the boat. The balls were still coming and they were unmercifully aimed at Ama. He growled, set her down gently, and felt an unsettling feeling run down his spine.

"Give it up, Scorpion."

Scorpion turned around and there stood Quan Chi, his arms crossed over his chest. "Give me the girl and it will all be over. You will no longer have to be in her service, you can fulfill what I resurrected you for. You can avenge your family and clan, you can have the head of the one who killed them."

Quan Chi and Scorpion stared down at the struggling Sub-Zero. Scorpion remembered Ama's words and turned away from Quan Chi.

"Haven't you expressed to me that she has only gotten in the way? That is what you have stressed, have you not? Now is your chance to be rid of her once and for all."

"I do not feel that desire anymore, sorcerer." Scorpion grunted.

"And why not? Has this girl enchanted you more than your own wife could?"

Scorpion rammed Quan Chi against the mast and Quan Chi merely smirked. "So, I have been correct all along."

Scorpion hollered in anger and flames rose within his hands. Quan Chi evaded his attack however and the flames made their way towards Ama. Scorpion stopped and picked her up before the fire got to her and he slung her over his shoulder. Quan Chi crossed his arms and watched as Scorpion gave him a nasty glare.

"She is my responsibility."

"She is your new value."

"She isn't a value, she is a girl!"

"A girl who continues to stand in the way of everything that you hold dear. Or really, everything that you once held dear."

"I still hold my family and clan dear, sorcerer. But my duties towards them are no different than my duty towards her."

Quan Chi scowled as Scorpion continued. "I had to take care for my family and clan just as I have to take care of her. I had to watch out for them, I had to create things for them on top of caring for my family, as the son of the Grandmaster, I had many responsiblities. This girl has helped me remember those responsibilities. Whenever I think of how far she has gotten, I can only remember Kana..."

"You dare compare this insignificant pile of bile to your wife?"

"I can't help but!"

Quan Chi glared harshly at Scorpion, but his glare was nothing compared to what Scorpion could whip out. "She is so similar to her, sorcerer, she has proven herself in ways so closely similar to Kana-"

"She has proven herself more than Kana has proven herself to you?!"

"No!"

"That is what you are telling me, Scorpion. That is what I hear, that is what I can interpret."

"It doesn't matter what you hear or what you interpret, sorcerer. What matters is how Kana sees it, and I know she wouldn't see it the way you do."

"How can you be so sure?"

Quan Chi took two steps back and, with a wave of his hand, concocted a vision of Kana Hasashi. Scorpion's clenched fists relaxed as he watched his wife, her gentle eyes cradling his very soul, his very entity. He took a step toward her and raised his hand to embrace her; she extended both of her hands and, while cupping his face, planted a kiss on his forehead. He managed to touch her, memories of embracing her soft, porcelain skin rushed back to him. Her hair found its way in to their embrace and he gently grabbed a lock of it and smelled it; coconut. She loved coconut.

His wife then looked in to his eyes and expressed sorrow to the fullest. Scorpion's eyebrows creased with worry and another image appeared in the vision; a small, skinny girl with big brown eyes and matted hair.

Ama.

Scorpion stared at her for a short while and then back at his wife, whose eyes continued to express deep sorrow. He then started to glare at Ama, brought his wife in to a deep embrace, and held her in his arms for the first time in ages. Ama eventually faded in to the background, and soon enough, no part of her was seen or remembered..

"Your wife knows where you belong, Scorpion. The question is, do you?" Quan Chi asked slowly.

Scorpion embraced his wife with all of the love that had been inside him for her. He wanted her to stay with him, to be with him, he wanted to show her that he still cared for her and that no matter what, he always would. The girl...Ama...she simply stood in the way of it all. Scorpion backed away from Ama's unconscious body and Quan Chi smirked widely.

"You have chosen wisely, Scorpion." Quan Chi praised as he lifted Ama over his shoulders and walked straight through a portal. "Wisely indeed."

* * *

"Where is she? Where is Ama?!"

Smoke darted through the boat in a frenzy. Ama was gone and he didn't know where she went. He recalled Sub-Zero last seeing her, so he rushed over to him and saw that he was in an extreme amount of pain and agony from the balls. He gently placed his hand on his back and Sub-Zero looked up at him.

"Sub-Zero, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine...Ama...where is Ama...?"

Smoke clenched his fists tightly; if she aimlessly wandered away in such a desperate time, she was a true idiot. He stood up and continued his frantic search, shouting her name as loud as he could. Liu Kang rushed towards Smoke and asked, "Any sign of her?"

"No, keep searching." Smoke replied quickly, moving as quickly as he could.

The other kombatants came out from their quarters and searched for the girl, the only one who could save them. Raiden burst through her cabin door and looked up for some kind of sign as to where she may have gone. He saw fire and immediately teleported to the top of the boat. There, he extinguished the flame and looked around for the only one who could start a fire: Scorpion.

"**Ama!**" Smoke shouted as loud as he could, his voice echoing all throughout the open air. She wasn't playing around, he knew that now. She hated attention to such a high degree, she wouldn't have wanted for everybody to be frantically searching for her. Sub-Zero noticed sparks of electricity and Raiden automatically appeared, his face straight and serious.

"Have you found her?" Sub-Zero almost pleaded.

Raiden bowed his head and replied with a strong, "No. But I have an idea as to who took her."

"Wait, where is Scorpion?" Liu Kang asked.

Sub-Zero and Smoke stared at one another, their eyes wide. "That...THAT BASTARD!" Smoke screamed.

"Now, let's try and stay calm-" Johnny began.

"Right, we'll stay calm when our only hope of salvation is missing. Stupid." Jax muttered.

"Enough. We don't have time for this. The only clue I've found was on the higher part of the boat. There was a dominant flame. Now, the first culprit we can think of would be Scorpion-"

"Would be? It is Scorpion, he took her from us!" Sub-Zero hissed with absolute hatred.

"Scorpion? What kind of mother would name her child Scorpion?" Johnny asked.

"That's besides the point. Raiden, how far off are we from Shang Tsung's island?" Kung Lao asked.

"There are only three hours left of our journey."

"Three hours?! No, we can't wait that long!" Smoke shouted.

"We have no other choice. Unless you want to swim there-" Sonya began. But before she could even finish her sentence, Smoke had almost thrown himself over the rail. Sub-Zero caught him by his waist and pulled him back on to the boat.

"Are you crazy man, I need to go after her-"

"Smoke, you'll freeze to death before you can even reach her!" Sub-Zero argued.

"I...I need to get to her..."

Sub-Zero placed his hand over Smoke's shoulder and said, "We all do, Smoke."

* * *

Quan Chi carefully placed her on a marble table and watched her closely. She didn't emit an aura of power and she sure as hell didn't look like the daughter of a deity. Shang Tsung strolled over to her with his hands behind his back and watched her as well.

"So. When shall we introduce her to Shao Kahn?" Shang Tsung asked.

"She already knows about Shao Kahn. And it seems that he already knows about her. But he doesn't know everything yet." Quan Chi said.

"I shall request his presence." Shang Tsung announced.

"You do that."

Shang Tsung walked off and Quan Chi was left to observe her closer. He leaned in carefully and smirked again. "You will serve the emperor now, girl."

He walked off and closed the doors that led to her. The woman clothed in a brilliant emerald green watched from the shadows. She walked over to Ama and stared down at her.

"This must be her."

She looked back before grabbing Ama's hand and closing her own eyes. She had been on a boat, the boat had been attacked by poison balls...sure, she was half deity, but she was too weak to not have gone under, her hidden potential had not been introduced to her yet. The woman opened her eyes and silently summoned the right hand man of the Elder God who was so attached to the girl: Ermac. The moment he appeared, the woman released a cocky smile.

"So, you finally decided to show up."

"We had to watch over her while she was on the boat, Jade. Her abduction came as a surprise, considering the specter was the one who surrendered her. But no matter. What are the chances of her survival?"

"There can't be any chances, she _has_ to survive. I recall Kitana having hidden elixirs and potions in her chambers, perhaps that could speed the healing process."

"It will have to do."

Ermac and Jade were just about to take her from the table, but Shao Kahn's presence startled her.

"Kahn is coming. Set her down, quickly!"

Ermac gently placed Ama down and both of them disappeared in to the shadows. Kahn marched in with Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, his gaze set on the figure before him.

"Is that her?" Kahn demanded.

"Yes, emperor." Quan Chi responded.

Kahn smiled mischievously. "Finally. It took both of you long enough."

Shang Tsung and Quan Chi glanced at one another, then back at Shao Kahn. Shao Kahn stared at her for a while before saying, "She is the daughter of an Elder God?"

"Correct, emperor."

"Ha! You've got to be kidding me, a girl as small and fragile as she is?!" Kahn laughed.

Ermac watched closely and waited to take action; Ama wasn't wrong when she said that she didn't look like a goddess, but she was so close to an Elder God already, so much more than anybody was in the history of Mortal Kombat.

"I will not take any chances. Just as Kitana was influenced by me, so shall this girl be."

Kahn placed his hands over Ama's head and exhaled. Ermac's eyes widened and he immediately jumped out from the shadows, his green eyes piercing through the darkness of the place. "Shao Kahn."

Kahn looked back and smirked. "Who are you."

"We are the temporary guardian of the girl you have abducted. We will not stand by and watch as you corrupt her as you have corrupted the princess."

Shao Kahn released a bellowing laugh while Quan Chi and Shang Tsung took their fighting stances. Ermac raised his arms and also prepared for some sort of physical attack, but all were shocked once Ama's fist jerked in to the air and punched Kahn square in the face. Kahn backed away two steps as Ama sat up on the table; Jade tried her best not to laugh and Ermac kept a straight face throughout. Ama yawned and rubbed the back of her head gently. "Is it me, or is it still incredibly dark outside? Smoke-"

Shang Tsung grabbed the Ama from behind and she yelped loudly. Quan Chi extended his hand and a lime green wire wrapped around her torso; she yelped again and fell off of the marble table. Shang Tsung jumped from her fall, Quan Chi released a frustrated groan, and Shao Kahn rubbed the place where she had abruptly punched him. Ama raised her head, looked up to see the three men and her eyes automatically widened.

"Oh _crap_..." she breathed.

"Ama, let us handle this." Ermac commanded.

"Well, I can't get up, so please, go for it!" She pleaded.

Ermac chanted gently to himself, a wall of green surrounded him. Shang Tsung threw fire skulls towards him, but the wall protected him from any harm. Quan Chi walked over to Ama and built a wall of skulls; she stared in absolute horror as the skulls snapped at her and Jade tried her best not to attack; if she blew her cover, both she and Kitana would be exposed. She couldn't make any moves...not yet. Ermac stared at Ama and because of that, his wall of protection went down by Shang Tsung's sorcery.

"Ermac!" Ama screamed as Shang Tsung knocked him unconscious with a blunt object. Quan Chi smacked her face harshly and hissed, "Hush up."

Tears poured down her face, her weeping was loud and uncontrollable. Quan Chi raised his fist and Scorpion appeared in a bright flame; Ama's eyes widened from seeing him and she joyfully wept, "Scorpion! Thank goodness, please help me-"

"I said hush up!" Quan Chi bellowed, smacking her face again. She toppled over, her hair all over her face. Scorpion watched on with no sense of pity or remorse; she had simply gotten in the way. All this time, he was blinded by her, she had covered his true intentions. It was her fault. Ama pushed herself back up and looked up at Scorpion, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes no longer hinting any sympathy.

"Scorpion..." She whispered.

Shao Kahn slowly approached Ama, his hands behind his back and a large, sadistic smirk on his lips. "You pack quite a punch, girl."

Shang Tsung and Quan Chi chuckled while Ama stared at Shao Kahn with absolute fear; he was so much bigger and taller than she was, than any of the other kombatants destined to eventually fight him...her heart pumped violently as Kahn got closer to her. "You are rumored to be a psychic. You know what will happen in this upcoming tournament, you know what will happen to me. Knowing this..."

He roughly grabbed a lock of her hair and pulled it violently. "You will serve **ME!**"

She shook and quivered with fear, but inside, an unknown strength rose within like a blooming flower. She closed her eyes and replied, "I will only serve those who work for the goodness of others, and that does _not_ include you."

He smirked and punched her once, twice, over five times. Scorpion twitched inside, his inner flame begging him to fight for her protection; Quan Chi sensed it and and stood in front of him, just in case. Before long, Ama's face was swollen, bloodied, but nothing looked or appeared to be broken. Kahn brought her closer to him, his foul breath hit her face worse than the punches. "You will serve me, bitch. And I don't care how much you beg, I will not release you until you are of no more use to me."

Ama glared as harshly as she could and, with all of the stubborn left in her, spat on Kahn's face. He shoved her away and Quan Chi grabbed one side of her while Shang Tsung grabbed the other side.

"Get her out of my sight." Kahn hissed.

"No, Scorpion! Scorpion, help!" She begged.

Quan Chi kicked her ankles to get her moving, but she wouldn't. She fought with all of the strength she had left to get to Scorpion, the man who was supposed to protect her.

"Scorpion! Help me, please, I don't know what's going on!"

He did and said nothing. He watched as she kicked and screamed, but he did nothing to help her. The two sorcerers looked frustrated by her constant movement and even though both of them had more muscle than she did, she fought against their grasp, her arms severely bruised by the restraint that she somehow possessed. Ama was panicked, it showed in her face; once she realized that Scorpion wouldn't help her, she knew that it was all over. She would die, her soul would go to Shang Tsung, and that would be the end of her story. Quan Chi knocked her out quickly with a skull and both of them dragged her out of the room. Scorpion lowered his head and disappeared in a thick flame.

The tournament would go on.

* * *

_Hey everybody! How's it going?! _

_I only have three more school days left, so I will be able to write often. If I don't update immediately, please know that I have a lot of things going on! Moving is a pain in the butt, believe me! _

_Again, I thank you all so much for supporting me with this story; I don't express it enough, but I am so thankful to all of you. I have read your reviews and your suggestions, believe me, I plan to incorporate as much of them as I can. You guys are seriously amazing, you have no idea. Sorry about all of the cliff hangers; I usually write more immediately after I create one because I hate leaving you all just dangling there, including myself! _

_Take care you guys, and I'll see you on the next chapter! STAY AWESOME!_


	28. Possession

**It was cold, damp, and dark.** I was chained to an ancient stucco wall, my pleas for help grew weaker once I realized that nobody was listening. Scorpion re-entered my mind and I got angry. He saw me trying to fight my way towards any chance of survival I had, he watched as I struggled, and he did nothing. Memories of him and I rushed back...he held me on that park bench and he didn't say much, but has actions assured me that I would be okay, that I would be safe with him...how quickly that backfired. I had been a fool to trust him, to believe that he would never go against me...so stupid. Why was I so stupid...

"Are you alright?"

I looked up and noticed a feminine figure standing gracefully outside of the cage the two sorcerer douchebags threw me in to. I figured it to be another enemy, so I didn't respond.

"I would appreciate an answer."

I turned away from the figure and curled in to a tight little ball. The lady obviously wasn't having any of it. I heard a loud crack and it startled me so badly, I jumped and banged my head against the wall. With a very frustrated moan, I answered, "What, what do you want?! Do you want to kill me too?!"

"Not even close, milady. I have come to assist you."

"What, assist me to the scaffold? No thanks."

"Allow me to unchain you."

"Wait, what?"

I had just realized that she made it in to my cell...well then. She hit my chains and just like that, they fell off. I looked up at her and she grabbed my hand gently, saying, "Come with me. We do not have much time."

"Time, time for what?"

She yanked me out of the cell and ran...dammit, that meant that I had to run. Dammit, dammit, dammit. I somehow kept up with her and nearly bumped in to her. "Be discrete, milady. I will bring you to safety."

"Right...uh...who are you-"

"There isn't time to answer mindless questions. Follow me."

...My questions weren't mindless! Okay, they may have been at times, but I mean, for the most part, they applied to the situation at hand! I continued following her down the dark dungeon, prisoners reached out to us and my pity fell upon them...so many of them looked helpless, hopeless, and as much as I tried to ignore it, all of them smelled quite badly. Like, very badly. It was the worst smell I had ever experienced besides Kahn's breath on my face. I stopped and the woman turned around quickly.

"Milady, there isn't much time-"

"Oh my goodness, how may I help you?" I asked gently to one of the prisoners.

"Milady, your generosity is quite endearing, but we need to get moving-"

"Please...stop Shao Kahn...before he...before...he..."

I grabbed the prisoner's hand through the bars of the cell before he took his last breath. I gasped silently and the woman gently touched my shoulder.

"Come. Let us go. We do not have much time."

I followed her and thought of the prisoner I had only known for a split second...he had died so suddenly and my own heart shattered. I had only known him for less than a minute and already...

The woman took out a short silver rod and twirled it effortlessly. "Stand back."

I did as she said and the rod extended along with a bright magenta color. My eyes widened...the only character I knew who could do that was...was! Oh my gosh!

"We are almost out. Stay close to me, milady."

...OH MY GOSH! Alright, okay, I couldn't freak out...as much as I wanted to! GAH, I had to confirm that it was who I thought it was...though I was pretty damn sure in my mind! She and I made it out of the dungeon swiftly and quietly, her dark hair gleamed beautifully under the full moon. I blinked to try and get a better view of her face, but nothing really worked, it was just too dark. She looked around and said confidently, "There shouldn't be anybody around for at least ten more minutes. In that time, allow for me to treat you."

She sat me down on a wide and sturdy boulder before digging for something. I watched her movements and tried my best not to jump and squeal on her...if this was who I thought it was, I needed to contain myself as best as I could, that I knew. She took her silver rod and I looked at it carefully...there were emerald gems on the ends. She extended the pole once again and I got a much better view of her face...yup, it was Jade. Oh crap, it was Jade. One of my idols. Must stay calm...I've got this! You can do this, Ama, it isn't difficult...you know what, screw it. I squealed happily and she flinched, her beautiful jade eyes grew wide and alarmed. I hugged her waist tightly and unknowingly dug my face in to her breasts...yeah, that was a bit awkward, but it was a dream come true! I was hugging JADE!

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You are one of m-m-my f-f-f-favorite characters, I have tried s-s-so badly to be j-just like you, I LOVE YOU!" I squealed.

She roughly clasped her hand over my mouth and looked around. "Milady, please, you are too loud!" She hissed.

"I c-c-can't help it, I'm...wait, w-w-w-w-why do you keep c-calling me, 'Milady' for?"

"I will explain later, come with me." She whispered.

She swiftly disappeared in to the night and I followed closely behind her; there was no way I was leaving one of my idols. She and I finally made it to a clearing somewhere deep in the forest and she pushed me down before looking around again. Once the coast was clear in her eyes, she kneeled to my level and took a deep breath. "Milady, please, stay as quiet as you possibly can. It is too dangerous for you out here."

I blushed, my entire face turning in to a bright tomato red. She raised one of her eyebrows and smiled.

"I...I-I-I- I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. Now, allow for me to treat you. I can see how bruised and bloodied up your face is and I wasn't even able to see all the damage."

"K-Kay..." I smiled.

She lay down bottles and bandages on a pure white sheet with a blue engraving of the letter 'K' gracefully sprawled across the bottom left hand corner. Thoughts of Kitana entered my mind and I stared blushing madly again...where Jade is, Kitana isn't too far off!

"I apologize greatly for what was done to you, milady." Jade said tenderly.

"D-D...Don't worry. I mean, it isn't your f-fault, really."

"I have aligned myself with Shao Kahn. I am partially to blame-"

"Hey, you didn't e-even choose to be aligned with him to b-b-b-begin with. Dammit, I'm sorry for stuttering so much."

She glanced up at me and went back to work cleaning my wounds. "Your stuttering isn't a problem, really."

I smiled and said happily, "You don't have to be so proper around me, Jade!"

She made eye contact with me and softly asked, "Really?"

"Yeah! I mean...I...I-I am an ordinary girl after all, there's no need for this, 'milady' business."

"What they say about you is true..."

"...What?"

"You are truly the one who will lead millions of people away from Shao Kahn."

"...Millions?"

"Yes. We have waited your arrival for so long, mila...I mean..."

"Call me Ama." I gushed.

"Ama."

Oh my goodness, one of my idols said my name! How cool!

"I will keep watch over you, Ama, but only for so long. Shao Kahn has not suspected a rebellion against him formed by Kitana, but he isn't far from discovering it himself. She is my main responsibility, so I must keep watch over her in the meantime."

"Wait, Kitana h-has already formed a rebellion?"

"Yes. I am part of it and so far, Kahn has not taken notice of our deception. But he did mention another daughter though, somebody similar to Kitana."

"...Mileena."

"Who?"

I looked down before explaining. "Well, see...Shao Kahn believed Kitana to eventually find out her true heritage once she grew older and it seems that she finally did. He ordered Shang Tsung to create a clone of Kitana while she was merely an infant, the clone having the same image and likeness of her in every physical way, but somehow more mentally willing to bend to Kahn's will."

"That...that makes sense. I recall Shang Tsung speaking to the emperor about a replica of Kitana, but I had never seen the clone before."

"Trust me, you will soon...you may want to notice her face though."

"Her face? Why?"

"Let's just say...you'll find a big difference between Kitana and Mileena. The biggest clue is in the face."

"Is Mileena prettier than Kitana?"

"_Ehh_...I wouldn't say that."

Jade sighed and continued treating my wounds. "No matter, I'll find out at the appointed time. All I am saying, Ama, is that you be careful. Your comrades are still on their way over here, but even then, you cannot join them because Shao Kahn will surely have you publicly executed on the pillars."

"Oh snap. What do I do?"

"I am afraid that once I treat you, I must leave. I cannot have you following me because surely, the sorcerers would track your essence."

"Wait, can't they track my...uh, essence... now?"

"It is close to impossible for them to do it as much as they try. My essence is stronger than yours, considering we are in Outworld. But your status has given you an unmistakable essence, a dangerous one at that-"

"Wait, what status?"

"I will speak with you about that when next we meet."

She quickly rolled up her materials in to the sheet and stood up. I stood up alongside her and she whispered, "You must be careful out here, Ama. I will return to you as soon as I can."

"Wait, but what am I supposed to do in the...meantime..."

Jade had already disappeared before I could finish asking my question. Dammit...alright, there had to be something I could do in order to pass the time. I could sneak to the docks and wait for the others to come...no, that would just further jeopardize them and myself. Okay, I had to think of something else and fast, the pressure for my own safety was on me. I sat and meditated on my next move when I heard a twig snap. Oh...crap. I didn't waste any time; I got up as fast as I could and ran for it. There was no way I would allow myself to work for Shao Kahn, not no way, not no how! I looked back and saw a dark, tall figure following me...dammit! I had only been left alone for not even two minutes and I was already in danger, what the hell?!

_I was running for my life. Banana leaves and a numerous amounts of insects smacked me on my face as I ran, roots from trees seemed to lift themselves so that I would trip and my pursuer would catch on to me. I huffed and puffed by the rapid movement of my legs, and I screamed at myself, 'Don't look back, whatever you do, don't look back!'_

_I really hated running; it was my least favorite thing in gym class. I could never keep up with everybody else, and would eventually be scolded constantly because of it. But now, I was running for my life and I couldn't stop. My own speed surprised me as I leaped over tree stumps and shallow streams, running like I had actually been doing it for a majority of my life and enjoyed it._

_The feeling of adrenaline pumped through my veins, but ceased once I felt my body collide against the rough terrain because of a casual vine. I grunted in pain and rolled over to examine the wound, deep and bloody. I screamed in agony when I realized that the pain was so intense that I couldn't move, and I remained defenseless to the sturdy figure towering over me..._

* * *

"Get off, hurry up!" Smoke hollered once the boat reached the dock.

Everybody else on the ship who actually cared for Ama jumped off or over the railings just to get off. Sub-Zero was close behind Smoke, his body tensed and determined to find her. Jade appeared amongst them and everybody immediately was on their guard.

"An Outworlder I assume." Sonya announced, sensing the tension and preparing for battle.

"Miss Blade, she's fine." Smoke said.

"I swear to all of you that I am aligned with the Forces of Light. Kitana and I would regularly meet with Liu Kang and plan our next move against Shao Kahn." Jade swore, her hand over her chest.

"Have you seen a small girl with brown hair, brown eyes-" Smoke began.

"I have. I can lead you to her, but now is not the time. It is too dangerous."

Smoke pushed his hair back and turned away from Jade. Sub-Zero rubbed the back of his head and asked, "When did you last see her?"

"I took her to a forest not too far from here."

"Wait...a forest?" Smoke asked.

"Yes." Jade confirmed.

"Is she safe?" Raiden asked.

"Yes. I have hidden her in a forest where her essence is harder to track. I suggest you all prepare for the tournament in the meantime, Kahn is planning anything and everything to obtain Earthrealm."

"But she was our safest bet of survival, what do we do without her?!" Jax demanded.

"It seems that you all must think for yourselves. It shouldn't be that difficult." Jade commented.

"I beg to differ. We're in a tournament where death is inevitable." Sub-Zero sighed.

"Then...don't die." Jade giggled.

* * *

She was breathing frantically, her body shaking and trembling with fear and adrenaline. Scorpion stared down at her, his glare deep and intimidating. Somehow, the way she looked at him...bothered him. He had betrayed her, surely; he had abandoned her in her time of need, so the way she was looking at him, her eyes bright with terror and her body as pale as the moon itself... made sense. What hit him so harshly was that she looked petrified just by seeing him when he was used to seeing a cheery smile. He couldn't understand why it bothered him so badly...every other human that he came in to contact with feared him, hell, he was from the Netherrealm. Still.

She said nothing to him, her body trembling too violently to even mutter a groan. He took one step toward her and she pushed herself back with a small whimper.

"Get up." He demanded.

"You're a traitor." She managed to say.

He straightened his back and repeated crossly, "Get up."

"Kiss my ass." She whispered.

He lifted her up by her arm and she kicked his leg. He retaliated quickly by summoning a quick flame beneath her feet; she jumped over it and with all of her might, smacked his head.

"Are you _that_ stupid, Scorpion?" She asked.

He tripped her and as soon as she got to her feet, she smacked him on his head again. "You still haven't figured out anything, have you?!"

**"Shut up!"** He hollered, grabbing his sword.

She had managed to avoid a few of his attacks, his movements however too fast for her to avoid all of them. She nearly fell to the ground and with all of her strength shouted, "Quan Chi murdered your family and clan!"

Scorpion stopped and glared again. "No."

"I've been dropping hints about that for the longest time and you never understood! _Retard!_"

He froze for a moment before raising his sword to her. "Quan Chi resurrected me-"

"So that you could do his bidding, blockhead! Do you understand now?!"

Scorpion lowered his blade and hissed, "Are you sure."

Before she could answer, Quan Chi appeared behind him and said, "Well done, Scorpion. I will take great care in watching her closely this time."

Ama tried to run off again, but Quan Chi extended his hand and suddenly, she couldn't move. Scorpion watched Quan Chi closely...he had recalled the elder Sub-Zero telling him that he didn't have anything to do with the deaths of Scorpion's kin...of course, he could have lied just to save his own skin. But something about what Ama had said...he believed. Quan Chi placed Ama in front of him and Shao Kahn burst through a thicket of bushes, his breathing slightly inconsistent and his body gleaming with sweat. Shang Tsung wasn't far behind.

"You dare attempt escape?!" Kahn bellowed in to Ama's face.

She was obviously trying to hide how afraid she was, but Scorpion could see it in her eyes. She had taught him something about the eyes, something he never paid attention to: the eyes were not only a gateway to the soul, they were the gateway to all that was living, especially emotions. As he stared at her, he saw that her main emotion was fear.

"Quan Chi, hold her in place."

Quan Chi released her from his grasp, yet his sorcery held her in place. Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, and Quan Chi then stood together and moved their hands in a circular motion. Scorpion stood back; he had never seen anything like what he was just observing. All three of them chanted something different; eventually, they raised their arms and an orange light shot out of their hands and in to Ama. She shrieked from the intensity of the charge being sent through her and she eventually collapsed on to the soil. Shao Kahn walked towards her and raised his hands.

"Rise, shrew."

It took her a couple of seconds, but she stood slowly and calmly, her face blank and her the spark in her eyes barely there anymore. Kahn smirked as he stepped to the side. "I will have to test her out."

The two sorcerers looked at one another before Kahn commanded, "Ama, attack."

She didn't hesitate. She rushed towards the two sorcerers and jabbed them swiftly. Shang Tsung grunted in pain while Quan Chi tried his best to block them and failed, her attacks too fast and unexpected. Scorpion's eyes widened; she was good. She seemed to know every attack that the sorcerers tried to use and she reciprocated accordingly, only she wasn't slow or doubtful about any of her attacks. She knew what she was doing.

"Ama, cease."

She automatically stopped and placed her hand behind her back. Scorpion snarled at Kahn and demanded, "What did you do."

"That is none of your business, specter. All that matters is that she is under my command. Ama, come."

Without blinking, she walked over to Shao Kahn, the sorcerers followed closely behind them. Scorpion couldn't move; he had looked in to her eyes before, and they weren't those deep brown eyes he remembered...they were darker. Black.

* * *

The Earthrealm warriors rushed on to the courtyard. Jade had further explained to them any reckless action to find Ama could lead to the execution of many, including Ama herself. Sub-Zero nervously paced the courtyard; what if she wasn't safe? What if she was dying? He cared too much for her, his own mind thought out countless scenarios of how she was found and how she was doing. Jade had informed all of them that she was hidden safe in a forest...right. He couldn't help but hope that she was still in that forest so that he could come and find her.

"Things are being set up for the tournament." Kung Lao said.

"I don't care, Ama is out there and there is no real guarantee that she's safe." Sub-Zero snapped.

"The emerald woman expressed to us that she is safe." Kung Lao answered.

"It isn't _guaranteed!_" Sub-Zero yelled.

Smoke placed his hand on Sub-Zero's shoulder. "Calm yourself, Sub-Zero. I have already begun to track where she was last and that was in the forest."

"Wait a minute. Forests...in Outworld? That can't be, Outworld is too barren to have any sort of plants willing to grow on its soil." Raiden spoke.

"Lord Raiden, what are you trying to say?" Liu Kang asked

"The only forest known in Outworld is The Living Forest. The vines could strangle her or tie her to a tree trunk and suffocate her from there! She could become a part of it, just as the other victims are!"

"No!" Sub-Zero cried out, darting through the doors of the courtyard.

"Sub-Zero, wait!" Smoke called.

"You are not to leave the courtyard." Sektor said, standing in front of the doors.

"Sektor, we don't have time for this-" Sub-Zero began.

"Frankly, I don't care, Grandmaster. Pssh, a title too unfit for one like you." Sektor said, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you want to repeat that?" Sub-Zero challenged.

"Sub-Zero, remember what our goal is right now." Sonya pressed.

"What's that, to find a girl? The 'Savior of Earthrealm?'" Sektor frowned.

"As a matter of fact, yes. And we would appreciate it if you got out of our way or else some really bad things are going to happen." Jax threatened.

"Pity. The tournament is starting soon and you don't have your _lucky charm._" Sektor sighed unsympathetically.

"Look here, you little cretin-" Sub-Zero started.

"Kuai, back away." Smoke warned. Sub-Zero pushed past Smoke and got right up in Sektor's face, his voice low and grim.

"That lucky charm you're trying to make a fool of is our only hope. If she dies, we lose. Now, the Lin Kuei is in Earthrealm. Respect for me is obviously not present within you, but if you have any respect for the clan, you will _shut your damn mouth, get out of the way_, and _stay_ out of the way or I swear Sektor, I will _kill_ you."

Sonya and Johnny glanced at each other while Smoke released a smile. Sektor gave a dirty look to Sub-Zero before moving out of the way. Before Sub-Zero could push the doors open, the guards stood in the way, their lances by their sides.

"This is off limits. Proceed to the rear of the courtyard and await further instruction."

"No, I have to get through-" Sub-Zero tried to establish.

"To the rear!" The guards shouted simultaneously.

"Damn, alright. Impatient little twats." Johnny murmured.

All of them moved to the back of the courtyard and observed more kontestants as they filed in. Johnny grinned just by seeing them and said, "Oh, I've got this, these saps have got nothing against me! I'll make that girl proud!"

"Could you not be a prideful jackass for once?" Jax groused.

"Hey, I am not a-"

"Silence. The tournament...begins." Raiden gulped slowly.

Drums resonated throughout the courtyard. Shang Tsung stepped to his throne, Kitana and Jade following close behind him. Smoke lowered his head as he thought of Ama; she would probably be clinging onto his arm and squealing over the princess and her bodyguard. But she wasn't there...and he couldn't help but feel desperate to feel her to cling on to his arm again. Shang Tsung raised his arms and the drums ceased, a gong the only resounding echo.

"Kombatants! All of you may be here for different purposes, but all that matters is that each of you will be covered in the blood of another fighter. This tournament is a battle wits as well as physical adaptability."

He glanced at the Earthrealm warriors and smiled menacingly. "The one who fights and wins the majority of the battles will face me in the end."

Johnny scoffed and cracked his neck. "I can take you, no problem!"

"Do you really believe so, Mr. Cage?" Shang Tsung asked.

"Hell yeah! I've taken men bigger than you!" Johnny boasted proudly.

"So, if you have taken men bigger than I, you can _surely_ take one smaller than you, correct?" Shang Tsung asked.

"If I can take people bigger than you, then _obviously_ I can take people of a smaller stature! What kind of question is that?!" Johnny shouted.

"Perfect." Shang Tsung grinned. "The first kombatant will be Johnny Cage!"

Johnny looked over to Raiden and Liu Kang, who stood on his left and right. He huffed and stepped on to the wooden part of the courtyard, the green glow from the bottom making him even cockier. "Alright, who am I gonna be taking down?!"

Shang Tsung raised his hand and said loudly, "Ama Haruki."

"Wait, what?" Johnny questioned.

Jade and Kitana looked at one another, their eyes wide broad and panicked. Sub-Zero turned his attention towards Shang Tsung. Smoke's jaw clenched and he started shaking, fury built inside of him. Ama pushed open the large wooden doors took her place opposite Johnny.

"Ama!" Sonya shouted.

"_No_..." Raiden whispered.

"What is she doing there?!" Liu Kang howled.

"Ama, **no!**" Sub-Zero cried.

Shang Tsung sat down and proudly bellowed,"Fight!"

* * *

_Hello there! _

_So, good news; I am finished with high school! Can I get a whoop whoop?! _

_I graduate on Monday evening and then I fly out the very next morning. I will try to upload before I fly out because God knows when I will update next, considering the unpacking process, the jetlag, and everything in between...blah...BUT! I have GOT this!_

_Ouu, before I forget, I don't know if you guys heard, but Scorpion is to be in Injustice: Gods Among Us. What do you guys think? I am super stoked about it! I like the hood that goes with his new outfit, it fits him well! _

_See you guys later! _

_o(^▽^)o_


	29. Temporary Freedom

**"I suggest you back down, little girl. **I don't mean to brag, but I can take you down pretty-"

Ama launched her body diagonally towards him, making Johnny jump to the side. He dusted off his suit and frowned. "What the hell was that for?"

"Johnny, you need to fight back!" Sonya shouted.

"No, he'll hurt her!" Sub-Zero retaliated.

"He's going to have to." Liu Kang whispered.

Johnny jumped in to his fighting stance, but didn't stand a chance; Ama's attacks were faster, stronger, and she knew when he was going to throw something towards her. He grew frustrated after a while and threw a punch at her. She grabbed his fist and, without even looking at him, flipped him on his back. He grunted as he landed and held his wrist close to his chest.

"Ama wins!" Shang Tsung declared, the monks and observers sitting in front of him clapping simultaneously.

Ama stared at Johnny before she stepped to the side. Kung Lao and Liu Kang grabbed Johnny gently by his upper arms and assisted him to the back of the courtyard. Johnny's eyes were wet and he continued to clutch his wrist to his chest.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Smoke asked.

"She...she broke my freaking wrist..."

Sub-Zero and Raiden stared at each other. Raiden finally spoke, "She is not who she appears to be."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Jax questioned.

"While she was being trained, Ama never did anything like that. She knew how to attack, but she wasn't as agile as she is now." Sub-Zero grunted.

"...That means..." Johnny began.

"Shang Tsung probably did something to her. The question is, what." Raiden announced.

"The next kombatant will be...Smoke!" Shang Tsung boomed.

Smoke took a deep breath before moving on to the middle of the courtyard. He stared at Ama and with his eyes, begged her to return to him. She showed no sign of knowing who he was, and he felt his heart breaking the more he looked at her.

"You will be fighting Ama as well! The more the merrier, right, Miss Haruki?!"

The monks laughed and she didn't respond. She simply stood in her fighting stance and watched Smoke closely. He took a step toward her and begged, "Ama, please, you know me."

She didn't say anything. He took another step toward her and said, "I would never hurt you, you know that Ama. Please, just...say something."

She stared at him, not one word escaped her lips. Shang Tsung impatiently stood and shouted, "Fight!"

Smoke sighed and stepped back. "Ama, you're leaving me no other choice."

She blinked and stayed in her fighting stance. He took his stance as well and concocted a cloud of smoke. "Forgive me." He whispered before throwing it at her.

She rolled out of the way in time and ran at him. He moved before she could tackle him, and they stood staring at one another for a while. She finally jumped gracefully into the air; he watched and turned invisible, but she knew where he was and she landed on him accordingly. While she was sitting on his stomach, she tried to choke him out, but he realized what she was trying to do before she could press her hands down on his throat. He shoved her off of himself and she growled.

"Ama, please-" Smoke pleaded.

"Enough talk, fight!" Shang Tsung yelled.

She punched his face as hard as she could and he grunted from the pain, blood spewing from his mouth. He looked at her, and with his hand placed under his mouth, he backed away from her. Shang Tsung rolled his eyes and screamed, "Somebody has to win!"

Smoke briskly threw a ball of hazy gray smoke at her and she was too slow to react. Once she disappeared, he closed his eyes, jumped in to the air, and after a second, he pinned her ferociously on to the cement. The monks gasped by the impact and once Smoke opened his eyes, he saw Ama's face, her eyes closed.

"Ama?" He whispered.

Shang Tsung was quick to get to his feet and Sub-Zero tried to get to her, but Raiden held him back. Smoke exhaled quickly and moved her hair out of her face. "Ama, come on...don't do this. Ama!"

Jade and Kitana took at step forward and watched helplessly. She wasn't moving...and if she died, surely, the Earthrealm warriors would go with her. Smoke shook her as lightly as possible, and she still didn't move. Shang Tsung took a deep breath in; he would surely be blamed for this.

"...Smoke wi-"

Ama's eyes snapped open and she kicked Smoke from her, grabbed the back of his head, and turbulently chopped the side of his neck. He immediately fell and once he did, she stomped her foot above his ribcage. Shang Tsung laughed and haughtily declared, "Ama wins!"

She was drenched in sweat and fell to her knees. Shang Tsung watched her and stated, "The tournament will resume at dawn!"

Smoke squinted, Ama being the last one he saw with his blurred vision. Sub-Zero lifted him up and whispered, "She's possessed."

"Y-Yeah..." Smoke croaked.

"Shang Tsung obviously had something to do with her enchantment. But, he wasn't alone in this. He is too weak to have done it alone." Raiden said.

"Who could have helped him?" Kung Lao asked.

Raiden looked around the courtyard and sighed. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

* * *

"Jade, what happened?"

Jade lowered her head and replied, "I...I'm not sure. I set her in the forest and-"

"The Living Forest? Are you crazy?"

"Kitana, hear me out."

Kitana sighed while placing her hand on her left temple. "Okay, so, what happened?"

"I told her to stay put, and that I would be back."

"And she...didn't."

"Apparently not."

Kitana glanced at the courtyard and noticed Shang Tsung speaking to Ama. She didn't look responsive in the very least, and that further worried the princess.

"Something happened. I know it...but what caused her to be like this? Wasn't she prophesied to save Earthrealm?"

"She is. But when I met her, she was hyperactive, nothing like she is now." Jade commented.

Kitana growled. "Shang Tsung did something. I will have a word with her."

"As you wish." Jade nodded before strolling over to Ama. Shang Tsung noticed Jade and immediately tensed up.

"My apologies, but the princess wishes to speak with Miss Haruki."

Shang Tsung growled before replying, "Yes. We wouldn't want to keep her highness waiting."

He pushed Ama in to Jade's chest and Jade returned the glare that Shang Tsung gave her before walking with Ama towards Kitana. Kitana stared at Ama and smiled. "Hello."

Ama said nothing in return. Kitana kneeled down and stared at her eyes closely.

"Kitana?" Jade questioned.

"She has been put under a spell. Look, see for yourself."

Jade kneeled down beside Kitana and stared at Ama's eyes as well. She grunted softly and said, "Her eyes are like big balls of darkness. The last time I looked, her eyes were dark, but they were brown...not black."

"Precisely. She has been put under a spell. Thankfully, I know how to reverse it...but only for a couple hours or so."

"We need all the time we can get." Jade retaliated.

Kitana nodded. "Come."

* * *

Smoke nervously drummed his fingers against the wooden table in the cottage he was sharing with Sub-Zero. He was anxious for Ama...why did she act like that? She was so advanced in her fighting skill...that wasn't normal. She was still a beginner, and she fought like an advanced intermediate. He drummed his fingers faster, his brow furrowing with frustration. It didn't make any sense...if Jade had left her in the forest, then what happened? Did Ama just decide to run off? Sure, she was known for doing that sort of thing, but why would she do it when danger is everywhere? She wouldn't have. His finger drumming increased in speed more and more. Sub-Zero had to place his hand over Smoke's just to get him to stop.

"Enough, Smoke." Sub-Zero complained.

"I can't. I can't stop thinking about her." Smoke hissed.

"Neither can I. But standing here and drumming your fingers isn't going to do any good." Sub-Zero snapped.

"Well, what do you expect for me to do? Go out and search for her? Oh, wait, I can't because the perimeter is freaking haunted by guards all working for that aging motherfu-"

"Smoke. Enough. I feel as frustrated as you do. But we can't do anything at the moment. She is probably with Shang Tsung now and any chance we take in trying to rescue her could result in her execution."

"Then what can we do?"

A soft knock startled the two men. Sub-Zero checked the peephole and raised his eyebrows. "It's Jade."

Smoke flew towards the door and flung it open. Jade looked around before stepping in and Sub-Zero gently closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before saying, "She has been put under a spell."

Smoke cussed under his breath and Sub-Zero rubbed his temples.

"She is being treated now by the princess Kitana. She should be back to normal very soon, but...Kitana only knows how to do temporary enchantment elixirs. Ama will be back to normal, but not for very long. I have been sent here to give you this piece of information."

"Wait, so she's okay?" Smoke asked impatiently.

"Yes."

Smoke sighed gently before sitting down. He was somewhat relieved, but he didn't fully believe Jade; he wanted to see Ama for himself. He stood and asked, "Where is her location?"

"Kitana's chambers."

"I will see her then."

"I'm afraid you cannot. There are guards surrounding her chambers, there is no possible way you can get to them."

"Jade, I'm called Smoke for a reason."

"I know that. But even then, they can still detect you. You travel in a smoky form, how do you think they would react if a cloud of smoke suddenly appeared?"

"Then they should prepare for one hell of a fight."

"Tomas, it isn't that simple. You'd be outnumbered and you would die. Do you think Ama wants that?"

Smoke looked away from Jade, placed his fist over his lips, and closed his eyes. "I will do whatever it takes. I just...hate seeing her like this."

Sub-Zero watched intently while looking down. He liked Ama, and sure, it took him a while to realize it...but he really did like her. He wouldn't have kissed her if he didn't feel the way he felt. He was angry with himself...he liked her so much, and yet, he couldn't protect her. On the boat, she was in his arms, he had her. He cursed silently under his breath while clutching his fists together; he had her. The balls that invaded the boat that night were surely an obstacle, but he had overcome such obstacles before...why couldn't he do it while she was still in his arms?

"Sub-Zero?" Smoke questioned.

Sub-Zero looked up. "She is the daughter of an Elder God. Why is it that she can not snap out of her hypnotic state on her own?"

"Kitana and I spoke of that shortly before I came here. She is indeed half deity, but she is still half human. Humans are prone to temptation and weakness. That is why it is so difficult for her to snap out of it all on her own."

"We'll do whatever it takes." Sub-Zero swore.

They turned once another faint knock resonated throughout the small cottage. Sub-Zero opened it and saw Kitana, her golden eyes bright and welcoming. Sub-Zero bowed his head slightly. "Princess."

She squinted her eyes slightly. "May we come in?"

Sub-Zero grew puzzled. "We?"

Kitana looked back and Ama stepped forward, joy and fear clouded her expression. Sub-Zero's eyes widened and he couldn't resist; he scooped her up in to his arms and laughed. Ama laughed with him, tears running down her face endlessly. Smoke rushed to the door and once he saw Ama, his eyes grew big and hopeful. He couldn't help but smile once he saw her smiling that big, bright smile that he was so used to seeing, and knowing that she was there...he felt almost...emotional about the whole thing. Sub-Zero put her down, scooped her tomato-red face in to his hands, and planted a kiss on her lips. Ama shut her eyes as more tears spilled from them and once they finally released, she spoke, "I...I'm so sorry! I...I'm just so happy to see you guys again!"

Her words made Sub-Zero's tear ducts react. He held her close to him and squeezed her...not with all of his might of course, because, well, he'd kill her if he did that. She looked up at Smoke, who was wiping away at his own tears. Sub-Zero let her go and she walked over to Smoke. He looked down at her and, with his voice breaking asked, "How are ya, squirt?"

She giggled and hugged his waist tightly. He wasn't slow to react; he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, his love for her only making him want to never let her go. She was his family; a small, vulnerable Japanese girl was his family. And he didn't want it any other way.

"Ama...your face..." Sub-Zero began, his tone concerned.

She removed her face from Smoke's stomach and solemnly replied, "Kahn did it. And then...I don't know what came over me, I was not in control of my emotions or my body...I felt like a puppet."

"Why did you leave the forest?" Jade asked.

"It was never my intention, I swear. I was going to stay where I was, but I was chased."

"By who?" Smoke pressed.

"Scorpion."

Sub-Zero froze. "That doesn't surprise me."

"That son of a bitch." Smoke hissed.

"And...you just lost control?" Kitana asked.

"I...I guess so, I couldn't even think for myself after Scorpion turned me in." Ama spoke bitterly.

"Well, I may as well tell you. You've been corrupted by Shao Kahn, but not in the same way as I was. He, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi banded together and cast a spell over you. While under that spell, your body and your mind belong to them. But Shao Kahn's magic is more dominant than the other two sorcerers, so he has more control over you than they do." Kitana explained.

Ama paused. "...Do you mind going over that again?"

"Were you not paying attention?" Kitana asked.

"I drifted. As you may remember me telling you, you are one of my idols, so I couldn't get over the fact that you are speaking to me."

Kitana sighed. "You are very interesting, Miss Haruki."

"What she's saying is that you were bound by a spell that Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, and Shao Kahn created. Kahn has more dominance over you because his magic is twice as powerful as the other two sorcerers." Sub-Zero elaborated.

"Ahh...wait, then...how did I manage to snap out of it?"

"I created a spell that has freed you, but you are only free for so long. Soon, you will belong to Shao Kahn again...but this time, we have something that can prevent you from fully submitting to his will." Kitana assured, her calm demeanor giving both Sub-Zero and Smoke inner peace.

"Really? What?" Ama asked quickly.

Kitana gestured to Smoke and Sub-Zero. Ama looked at them, then back at Kitana. "Them?"

"Yes."

"Wait, what?" Smoke asked, his brows furrowed.

"It's simple. Kahn does have control over her, that is true. But you two are close to her, therefore, your voices should penetrate Kahn's spell and she can be freed once again."

"That isn't going to work."

The deep voice startled all those in the room. Sub-Zero stood in front of Ama while Smoke stood on the opposite side, both of them ready to fight.

"Who said that?" Sub-Zero demanded.

A flame rose from the ground. Once it settled, Scorpion emerged, his eyes set on Ama. Smoke immediately disappeared and pushed Scorpion to the wall, his hand over his windpipe. "What the hell are you doing here, you little fuc-"

"Tomas." Jade warned.

"What the...what are you doing here." Sub-Zero demanded.

"Helping you as a matter of fact." Scorpion fussed.

"You've helped enough. Now get the hell out." Ama retaliated, her small figure shaking with adrenaline.

Scorpion looked at her and sighed. "Ama-"

"Don't speak. Everything you've done for me was all a lie, wasn't it? All of the effort you put in to training me...it was all just to lure me in to Shao Kahn's grasp, right? Well, it _freaking_ worked. How_ foolish_ I was to believe that you still somehow had the smallest ounce of kindness still left in you."

"Ama-"

"**Shut up**. You're a traitor, and I don't want anything to do with you."

"Not even when I have information that could help you?"

She glared at him. "You have a strange definition of the term '_help_' Scorpion."

"Look, I know what I did was wrong-"

"Oh really? When did you finally figure that out?"

"If you would just listen to me-"

"Like that's going to happen." Ama huffed, her arms crossed over her chest.

Scorpion rolled his eyes. "You have no other choice, _Amaterasu_."

Ama's mouth dropped open. _"...What did you call me?"_

Scorpion stared at her and didn't respond. Ama blinked continually while staring at the ground. She whispered, "My _father_ called me that..."

Sub-Zero's eyes dilated while Smoke couldn't stop fidgeting. Ama looked back at Scorpion, tears in her eyes. "How did you..."

"I don't care if this is too early to tell you, but you are the daughter of an Elder God."

Ama took a step back, wiped her tears off of her face, and smiled. "You're crazy."

"Ama..." Kitana began.

Ama glanced at Kitana. Kitana took a deep breath in and said, "He's right."

Ama's eyes grew with shock and pure surprise. She looked at everybody in the room and shouted, "You all _knew?!_"

"Remember how we spoke about your father, Ama? Well...he's an Elder God. The only reason he left was because he has duties as an Elder God. He never meant to hurt you." Smoke elucidated.

"There is no way that is even possible. My father left because he didn't want anything to do with the family he helped create!"

"That isn't true."

Ermac showed up in a burst of green energy, his glowing green eyes focused on Ama. "The Master brought you in to this universe because he knew how beneficial you would be for the realms involved with the forces of light. He left because he had duties that he needed to fulfill as an Elder God. He was preparing for your arrival. But he made sure that Mortal Kombat stayed with you. You have never forgotten the concept of Mortal Kombat, and that is exactly what he wanted, especially when you started developing crushes and idols."

Ama began sweating nervously, her face a bright tomato red and her eyes wide with distress and fear. She turned to look at Smoke and Sub-Zero, her body shaking. "You guys...never told me?"

"We didn't want to take you by surprise, Ama. You have to understand, you would have reacted in a way that could have been unchangeable towards us. You could have...left us." Sub-Zero sighed.

"Now is not the time to be angry with us, Ama. Now that you know, we need to band together and defeat Shao Kahn." Jade spoke.

"Yes, Lady Amaterasu. This is for the best. We would have liked for you to find out from your own father, but...it seems it couldn't be that way." Ermac commented while staring at Scorpion.

"Wait, so you...you have been a guardian-like figure to me since my father left?" Ama asked.

Ermac paused. "We guess you could say that. We have been watching you and we have reported your progress in the game to your father. He is well pleased, Ama."

"Well, he has no other way to express it to me anyhow." She grumbled.

Jade spoke gently. "Milady, please do not hold a grudge against your father. He only did what he believed was best for you, and-"

"He wanted what was best? Don't get me wrong you guys, I love getting to know you and meeting you all has boosted my self-esteem in ways that are almost unimaginable...but you've got to be kidding me when you say that he wanted what was best for me all this time. I can't help but hold resentment because he wasn't there. He is my father and he just abandoned my brother and I completely. Did he not realize how I would be treated in Japan, especially by his wife? He is an Elder God after all."

"Lady Amaterasu, please do not speak of the Master like that." Ermac warned.

Ama huffed and crossed her arms tightly over her chest. Smoke stood close to her and wrapped his arm over her chest. "I'm sorry. I should have told you this the moment I found out about it."

Ama sighed and looked up at Smoke. "Don't blame yourself. Now, Jade is right, we have to band together now and take down Shao Kahn once and for all."

"Ama, your father is very proud of how much you have matured in so little time." Ermac mentioned.

"Well. He has no other choice but to be proud of me, right?" She snarkily replied.

Sub-Zero sighed and rubbed his temples. "So. What's the plan?"

Ama stared at the ground for a moment before replying, "While I was under the spell that Shao Kahn put me under, I could see how everything worked. You guys need to keep in mind that he is plotting anything and everything, as long as the result is Earthrealm's downfall. Tomorrow, the tournament will resume and Shang Tsung will probably make me fight you all. Don't back down, come at me with all you've got."

"Ama-" Sub-Zero began.

"Let me finish." She barked.

Sub-Zero sighed and took a step back. Ama took a deep breath and continued. "Shang Tsung talked to me about the order of the fights. Both Smoke and Johnny have been eliminated from the tournament...oh jeez, how is Johnny's wrist by the way?"

"You broke it. Of course, we know that it wasn't your intention." Jade said.

"Right...anywho, Sub-Zero, you're up first tomorrow."

"Right. Who will I be fighting?"

"Me."

"Why is he making you fight? I thought they needed you to, you know, predict the future."

"And they still do. But Shao Kahn wants to hit you all where you are the most vulnerable, and apparently, your vulnerability is me."

"She's right."

Sparks of lightening flashed in the room and Raiden appeared after the sparks subsided. "She is what keeps us together. She is Earthrealm's savior, just as her father predicted over a century ago."

"Wait, wait, hold up. A century? He's been around for that long?" Ama asked, dumbfounded.

"Well, yes. He is an Elder God after all. And it is good of you to join us, Lord Raiden." Kitana smiled.

"Who is after Sub-Zero, Ama?" Smoke asked.

"Scorpion." Ama replied.

Everybody looked at Scorpion either with hate or resentment. Scorpion didn't seem to let it bother him however, his placid look setting everybody on a defensive mindset. Smoke sighed and said, "Are you sure it's him?"

"Quite positive. You shouldn't be too worried though. I will be in my possessed state of mind, so any attack that he throws at me...I can definitely counter." Ama said, her eyes scanning Scorpion.

Scorpion squinted his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Ama looked away from him and continued. "After that, the tournament will continue the following morning. But at the rate that everything is going, it seems that Sonya, Jax, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao are totally for the cause of Earthrealm and still in the tournament. Cyrax and Sektor aren't exactly open to the whole idea of helping us it seems."

"She isn't wrong about that. I've heard that they sided with Shang Tsung apparently to get back at Sub-Zero just for being the Grandmaster." Smoke chuckled.

"Haha, well then!" Ama beamed.

"Ama...what happens to you?" Jade asked.

The room got quiet. Ama smiled sweetly and said, "We'll just have to see."

"No, no we aren't going to wait and see. What is going to _happen_ to you, Ama." Sub-Zero demanded.

"All you guys need to do is play your part. What happens to me doesn't matter at this point. A savior doesn't always live."

Kitana gasped. "Ama, no. No, don't say that. You _will_ live."

"You're the daughter of an Elder God, surely-" Smoke began.

"Unfortunately, that doesn't matter. _Again_, she may be the daughter of an Elder God, but she is _still_ human. Her humanity is what makes her the most vulnerable to anything and everything. She has not tapped in to her abilities as the daughter of a deity. I'm afraid...that we_ have_ to just wait and see." Raiden sighed.

"You speak as if it is that simple, Lord Raiden. It isn't, a young woman's life is on the line here." Sub-Zero spoke lowly.

"Do you not think that I have already noticed that, Sub-Zero? Of course I know that there is a young woman involved in all this, but what can we do if things go wrong? We just have to trust her because she knows what she is doing."

Raiden looked down at Ama, sadness ran across his pure white eyes as he creased his forehead. "She knows what she's doing."

Ama nodded confidently. "I do. For the most part. We all have to make sacrifices now and then now, don't we?"

Scorpion looked at her, his arms still crossed over his chest. Sacrifices...he knew what that word meant more than anybody else in the room...or so he thought. Ama was willing to give up her life for all of them, and even though he was already dead, that touched him. Maturity had obviously settled in her, and that further pulled him towards her. Of course, she wanted nothing to do with him, chiefly because his betrayal towards her. Surprisingly, he didn't blame her and couldn't help but think that it was all for the best. Sub-Zero took her hand and led her outside; Scorpion couldn't help but feel curious about what was about to happen next, so he disappeared in a subtle flame and followed them.

* * *

Sub-Zero grabbed my hand and led me outside. I was prepared for any sort of persuasion that he would try to throw at me, but I wouldn't take it. I had to do what was best, even if it involved my death. He didn't immediately persuade me like I thought he was. Instead, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me again, his warm lips bringing my entire face to life. He held my lips against his before slowly breaking away and releasing his toasty breath on my face. I shivered as goose-bumps ran down my entire body, his touch only making me shiver even more.

"Ama...I'm sorry. About everything."

I looked up at him; his eyes were sparkling, his pupils dilating. I took a deep breath and smiled. "You tend to blame yourself for a lot of things, Kuai Liang."

"How can I not? You know what happened on that boat, I let you go. You would have never been influenced by Shao Kahn if I had only kept a better grip on you, I...I'm sorry."

I sniffed; I couldn't cry. I didn't want to cry. I caressed the side of his face and he placed his hand over mine. "You need to stop doing that. Blaming yourself does nothing."

He closed his eyes. "You're wrong. Placing blame on myself helps me realize my failures and learn from them so that such things never happen again."

"And what if it does? What if what you try to prevent happens all over again?"

He didn't answer. I began stroking his cheek with my thumb while smiling sweetly. "There are some things that you just can't control, Sub-Zero. And in those moments, you can't blame yourself. Life happens, whether we want it to or not. We just have to be strong at whatever it throws at us."

He grinned slightly and released a small chuckle. "You're right."

I laughed. "Of course I am! Were you thinking otherwise, you big oaf?"

He raised his eyebrow at me and my smile quickly faded. "Sorry-"

Before I could finish my apology, he swept me off my feet and playfully jostled me in his arms. I giggled and played along, begging him to stop. That only made him raise me in to the air, his embrace making me want to kiss him all over again.

You know what the funny thing is? I knew that Scorpion was watching us. He really needed to brush up on his stealth mode because it was getting more than a little rusty.

* * *

"I need to take you back, Ama." Kitana announced ten minutes after one o'clock in the morning.

I released a small, sad sigh. It was all too good to be true...I was reunited with those I learned to hold dear to me since I was a child...being separated from them ripped me to shreds on the inside. Smoke took me in to his arms and held me tightly. I hugged his waist as tightly as I could because I knew that it may be the last time I saw him...and he wasn't affected by the strength that I did have because it was nothing compared to his. I pecked Sub-Zero on the cheek, bowed to Raiden, and even hugged Ermac. He deserved some loving too! He watched over me for the longest time, I owed him!

Jade came back inside and announced, "The coast is clear."

"Are you ready, Ama?" Kitana asked.

I looked back at everybody and smiled. "Yeah."

Kitana wrapped me in a brown cloak. "This should help. Your essence is covered and you look like a citizen of Outworld. It is a win-win."

I giggled and followed her outside. The air was cooler at night, making up for the unbelievable heat during the day. I made sure the cloak was covering my head and I looked back one last time...I didn't know that it would be the last time that I would see them while I was still believably...normal.


	30. Sacrifice

**The Earthrealm kombatants couldn't even get a wink of sleep after Ama left, Sub-Zero and Smoke the ones the most affected.** Sub-Zero kept telling himself that he would be fighting her and as much as he didn't want to, he knew that he had to defeat her. He noticed Smoke outside, his hair blowing gently in the wind. He signed before stepping out and joining him.

"I'm worried, Kuai." Smoke said.

Sub-Zero stared at the ground. "As am I."

Smoke stared at his hands. "I'm glad that she finally knows who she is."

Sub-Zero remained silent. Smoke pushed his hair out of his face and creased his forehead. "She should have found out by her father, not by Scorpion of all people."

Sub-Zero thought of Scorpion and clenched his fists. "He is fighting her tomorrow as well."

"That's one of the reasons why I'm worried. But I suppose she has the upper hand if she is going to be in a different state of mind. Is she ever going to go back to normal?"

"We just have to wait and see." Sub-Zero groaned.

Smoke fidgeted uncontrollably. "I can't _wait_, Sub-Zero. I need to know _now_."

"You can't know everything now, Smoke."

"Do you know how much easier this all would be if things could be that way?" Smoke huffed.

Sub-Zero looked away from Smoke and rubbed his temples. "We have to think positive thoughts. That is what she would have wanted for us to do at a time like this."

Jade had just finished wrapping herself in a dark emerald cloak as she listened to them talk. She began to understand their close ties to her...what surprised her was how Sub-Zero had gotten so intimate with her. She covered her head and made sure that the cloak was secure around her body. That was when Scorpion appeared before her. She didn't raised her eyes to look at him. "There you are."

Scorpion didn't respond as Jade finished tying the strings around her waist. She sighed softly and looked out the window. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me, or are you just going to stand there? I do have pressing matters to attend to with Kitana-"

"Can you make the spell completely irreversible?" Scorpion asked.

Jade paused. "I have some experience when it comes to creating elixirs, but Shao Kahn's magic is far too advanced for me to reverse. Besides, what do you care. You're the one who turned her in, remember?"

"I made a mistake." Scorpion snapped.

"Whoa, the Specter of hell is actually admitting that he did something wrong. Shocking." Jade replied.

"Your sarcasm is not needed."

"I think it is. You screwed up big time. If it weren't for you, she would be just fine. She would have progressed us further than any of us could have ever imagined. But _no_, you just _had_ to get in the way of everything. You should have stayed out of the way like you used to."

Scorpion clenched his fists. "It is too late for that now, I'm already involved."

"Oh? Why don't you just leave now? You're good at that." Jade vented.

"You obviously didn't hear me when I said that I am already involved. I will not abandon her."

Jade leaned back and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh yeah, tough guy? I don't think you've noticed, but you have already abandoned her. She wants nothing to do with you anymore, she's expressed that not only to you, but to all of us. I'm afraid that you'll just have to show it instead of talk about it, and you're good when it comes to taking action. Look at where we are now because of you."

She looked outside and sighed. "Well, I'm off. Oh, _one_ last thing."

She took her pole from inside of her cloak and flipped it with grace and firm ability. "Stop screwing us over. I acknowledge that you're already dead, but I don't mind causing massive damage to your _disgusting_ corpse."

With that, she pushed the cottage door open and Scorpion disappeared. She looked around and spotted Sub-Zero and Smoke standing together in complete silence. She walked towards them and announced, "I must be by Kitana's side. Please, do get some sleep before the tournament begins."

"I don't think that's possible, Jade..." Sub-Zero sighed, exhausted.

"I insist. You can not fight her in your current condition, she will overpower you by so much-"

"I would rather her overpower me than me causing her damage." Sub-Zero replied strongly.

"The chances of that happening are slim to none, Sub-Zero. She will be faster and stronger than you-"

"I am still bigger than her. It doesn't matter how strong or fast she will be, I can still hurt her. You don't get it."

Jade threw her head back. "Oh, I don't? Amuse me."

He continued to look at the ground. "The way I have been trained applies to all of my battles. I have been taught to kill, I have lived the life of an assassin since my childhood. I _will_ kill her if I begin to feel endangered. I would rather be exhausted than kill her."

Jade lowered her head. "If the other Earthrealm warriors feel the same way as you do, then Earthrealm _is_ doomed. Do you realize this?"

"What are you talking about?" Smoke asked.

"Well, she may be alive, but she isn't exactly helping you all. She is really just taking all of you out of the tournament, therefore eliminating Earthrealm completely and allowing for Shao Kahn to take over."

Smoke shook his head. "Well, we're screwed."

"Smoke." Sub-Zero barked. "Stop thinking like an idiot."

"I'm thinking like a logical idiot, Kuai."

"We'll be alright. Raiden can help us if all else fails."

"I don't mean to burst your bubble, but it seems that Raiden has relied on Ama for information." Jade countered.

Sub-Zero bowed his head. "There is still hope. There has to be hope left."

"Well, there may be. Kitana and I are willing to blow our covers early and fight for you if you get too desperate." Jade offered.

"We may just have to take that route. But only if we get _too_ desperate. I know how close both of you are to Shao Kahn, I don't want to see either of you getting hurt." Smoke replied.

"Oh Smoke, how well you put on a protective shield for those around you. I will make sure that we are careful, Kitana tends to be a bit reckless. She has already started to do the opposite of what Kahn wants for her to do, and that is supposed to happen later in the plan." Jade winked.

* * *

Shao Kahn watched as Kitana led Ama to her chambers. He closed his eyes and huffed softly. "She has finally gone against me...after all this time."

He moved away from his window and cracked his knuckles. "No doubt the girl has given them valuable information about my plans. The idiot Shang Tsung probably told her everything."

He shook and slammed his fist against a marble table. "Just when I need that girl most...I have to get rid of her. She knows too much. Even if she is under my control, she has allies that can turn her back. No. No, I need to get rid of her."

He cracked his neck effortlessly and bellowed, "Quan Chi!"

Quan Chi appeared before Kahn. "Yes, emperor."

"We need to get rid of the girl."

Quan Chi blinked. "Pardon?"

"You heard me, don't act like you didn't hear me!"

"Yes, emperor. When do you want the assassination to be?"

"Soon. Tomorrow. I want for there to be something...something that can kill her quickly."

"I have just the thing, emperor. Leave it to me."

Kahn grinned. "Good. Oh, and sorcerer."

"Yes, emperor?"

"Send her father my...deepest condolences."

Quan Chi laughed before teleporting away.

* * *

The sun rose over the courtyard. Shang Tsung peeked at the fighting stage from behind the curtain and saw that Sub-Zero, Smoke, and the other Earthrealm warriors were already front and center. He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Fools. This is the day when Earthrealm is taken from them."

He turned around and grinned from ear to ear once he saw Ama. "Do not fail me, little butterfly."

She didn't reply. Kitana appeared from behind her and asked, "Are we ready?"

"Very much so." Shang Tsung replied.

The formalities of the beginning of the day's fights commenced. Sub-Zero watched closely as Ama followed after Kitana and Jade, his droopy eyes squinting as much as possible so that he could see as much of her as possible. Shang Tsung raised his arms and bellowed, "Kombatants! I trust all of you have had...a pleasant sleep last night!"

The kombatants murmered among themselves. Sub-Zero tried to suppress a yawn and Smoke stood in front of him, making sure that any sign of Sub-Zero's weariness were covered. Shang Tsung looked at the fighters and smirked again. "Let us get started, shall we? Ama!"

Without blinking, Ama stepped on to the wooden part of the platform and stood straight and tall. Shang Tsung then shouted, "Sub-Zero!"

Sub-Zero shook his sleepy head and confidently walked on to the wooden platform opposite Ama. He stared at her for a short while and asked, "Ama?"

She didn't respond. Instead, she entered her fighting stance. He closed his eyes for a moment and chuckled softly. "You forgot me already."

"I know who you are."

He looked up at her and was welcomed by her powerful glare. "You are the enemy."

He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "Quite the contrary, Ama."

"Fight!" Shang Tsung shouted.

Ama charged and Sub-Zero moved out of the way just before she could push him down. She turned around and saw that his hands were already designing a ball of ice. She clenched her fists and jumped over him; he watched her closely and threw the ball of ice at the ground, freezing her feet. She didn't panic like he was used to seeing from her. Instead, she stared at him and smiled. "You wouldn't hurt me, would you Sub-Zero?"

He stopped. "Wha...what?"

"I said...you wouldn't hurt me now...would you?" She sweetly repeated.

Kitana listened and turned to Shang Tsung quickly. He was smiling widely, as if a plan of his had worked. She looked back at Ama and squinted her eyes.

"Did you hear that?" Jade asked.

"Loud and clear..." Kitana replied.

"Ama...no, I would never..." Sub-Zero gasped while staring at his hands.

"Then why did you freeze my feet? What is the purpose of that? I know why you do it, and that is for your opponent to be vulnerable. I'm your opponent, and it looks like you're making me vulnerable. Why?"

"Ama, I...I-"

"It hurts, Sub-Zero. Release me."

He closed his eyes, looked away, and flicked his fingers. The ice at her feet dissipated and she tackled him almost immediately. She then began to pummel his face with her fists, his pained yells echoing throughout the courtyard. She slammed his head against the wooden ground, leaned in tenderly, and whispered, "You fell for it."

"Am...Ama..." He groaned.

She smacked his face and slammed his head against the ground once again. "Fool."

She got off of him and backed up. Shang Tsung stood and proudly announced her victory. Smoke ran towards Sub-Zero and gently placed his hand under Sub-Zero's head. "Sub-Zero...she destroyed you."

"Through psychology...help me up..." Sub-Zero groaned in pain.

Smoke assisted Sub-Zero to the back of the courtyard. Shang Tsung sat back down and cracked his knuckles. "Ama, stay there. This will be an...interesting battle."

Quan Chi appeared through a portal and stood on the opposite side of Kitana and Jade. He looked amused and proud...nothing too much out of the ordinary, but there seemed to be more of a boost of pride. Shang Tsung raised his arms once again and announced, "Scorpion!"

Quan Chi raised his fist to his chest and Scorpion appeared in a thick flame, his fists by his side. Ama stepped forward while Scorpion turned his head and looked at her. She didn't speak; she simply entered her fighting stance. Scorpion didn't waste time as he entered his stance as well.

"Fight!" Shang Tsung yelled.

Scorpion charged at her this time and threw multiple punches at her, all of which she blocked. She tripped him and hopped over him, but as her feet were in the air, he grabbed them and threw her down to the ground. She didn't land on her feet, but she jumped up quickly and charged at him with all her might. She managed to tackle him, but he rolled away before she could deliver any damage. She continued to hop over him and evade his attacks and he grew impatient. He was tired of what she was doing, and he knew that the only way to put a stop to it was to drag her in. He felt for the tip of his kunai and once he felt it, he whispered, "Get over here."

He threw it. He didn't even have to look at that point; he knew how to control his weapon, and most importantly, he knew where she was. He blinked once he felt it hit her and he knew it did the minute he heard her yelp. He pulled her in without mercy and looked at her; she was surprised, her eyes wide and her breathing out of control. He straightened his body as he watched her...his opponents were never affected the way she was. He didn't understand why her breathing was shortened and he didn't understand why she looked weaker. He stood closer to her as she began to shake and gasp for air.

"Ama-" he muttered.

Her knees gave in and she started to fall backwards. Scorpion caught her before her body could hit the bloodstained ground and he held her close to his chest. "Ama, what...what?! What is it?!"

Blood began to spurt from her mouth, her eyes losing the spark that he knew so well. Smoke and Sub-Zero immediately noticed and ran to her. Smoke fell while running, but didn't care; he crawled as quickly as he could and stroked her hair tenderly. Sub-Zero collapsed near Ama's head, his eyes wild with surprise and fear. Scorpion continued to hold her against his chest, his grip on her tight.

"Speak to me, Ama! I know you're in there, speak to me!" Scorpion hollered.

Her eyes opened slightly and as she opened her mouth, blood ran down.

"No, no, no, no, no, no..." Smoke chanted, wiping her blood with his hands.

"Ama, listen to me alright? You're going to be fine, you hear me? Don't stop breathing, please. Don't stop breathing."

She wasn't responding. Scorpion bowed his head and lightly touched her forehead. "Don't die on me. Not now."

Scorpion closed his eyes and clutched her body close to his. He felt her body getting colder, colder than Sub-Zero. He kept his eyes closed and emitted as much heat as he could in to her body without burning her. The more heat he emitted, the weaker he felt; he didn't understand why. The last time he felt weak was when he was human...

She began breathing normally as more of his body heat entered her own body. Smoke and Sub-Zero watched her closely and noticed Scorpion beginning to shake. Ama's eyes began to open, her natural spark coming back. Her eyes were no longer black, but dark brown as they had always been. Her natural color came back. And as she adjusted her eyes, she noticed Scorpion still holding her tight. Smoke sighed, relieved while Sub-Zero continued to watch Scorpion.

"Scorpion, stop." Sub-Zero said.

He didn't. His eyes remained closed and he continued to give his own to her. Ama didn't understand what was going on, but simply seeing Scorpion that way worried her. She squirmed in his grasp and touched his cheekbone. "Scorpion, what...Scorpion, stop."

He didn't. He shook uncontrollably at that point. Ama released his grip from her and he limply fell off to the side. Sub-Zero caught his head before it hit the ground and Ama gasped loudly before crawling to him.

"Scorpion? Scorpion, can you hear me? Scorpion!"

* * *

_Whoo, speaking of Sub-Zero being exhausted, I've been pretty pooped myself! The moving process is still going on...my dearest parental units are signing the papers for our new home, and there is only once source of internet where I'm at. It sucks. But, I will get through it!_

_I'm sorry this chapter is so short...because there is only one internet source and my family uses it as much as I do, things are a wee bit hectic. _

_Stay awesome, everybody!_


	31. Facing Shao Kahn

**"Scorpion, please don't do this! Scorpion!" **

Ama shook Scorpion's chest as hard as she could and yet, he wouldn't awaken. Tears streamed down her face as she continued shaking him, begging him to open his eyes. Sub-Zero watched and sighed gently; the specter actually gave up his undead life to resurrect her. Of course, he would come back in a day or two, he had personally witnessed that for himself. But seeing Ama freak out only made him want to help Scorpion for her sake. He put his hands together, breathed hot air into them, and rubbed them together. Smoke knew exactly what he was doing, so he pulled Ama back gently.

"No, I can't leave him!" Ama shrieked.

"Relax, you aren't leaving him, alright? Calm down, you aren't leaving him."

Her small body shook violently against his body, causing him to worry. He held her tightly without putting too much pressure on her and she relaxed against him, still sobbing. Sub-Zero placed his hands on Scorpion's chest and closed his eyes.

"You aren't going to do this now. Not in front of her." He grumbled.

Sub-Zero's hand's began to glow an icy blue on Scorpion's chest. Ama watched carefully, leaning against Smoke's arms and wiping her tears away. As the glow grew, Scorpion's breathing returned and his eyes shot open hurriedly. Ama gasped and grinned, pulling herself away from Smoke's barrier and running straight into Scorpion's arms. Her tears returned as she wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him with all of her might.

"Scorpion! Oh, Scorpion, you scared me-"

He roughly grabbed her by her waist and clung on to her like a protective guardian. "Don't move."

"What?" Ama asked, wiping more tears away.

"Don't. Move. There is still poison in your body, the more you move, the more the poison has a chance to settle."

"Poison?" Ama asked softly.

"Scorpion, what are you doing?" Quan Chi asked, annoyed.

Scorpion looked up quickly and focused his eyes on Quan Chi, his anger more than present in his gaze. "You did this."

Quan Chi stiffened slightly. Scorpion managed to get to his knees, Ama still by his side. "You did this!"

"Calm yourself, Scorpion-"

"Why did you poison my kunai?!"

The monks looked at Scorpion as though he were crazy. They began to mumble amongst themselves in hushed tones, afraid that the undead specter would hear them. Quan Chi took a step forward and before he spoke again, Scorpion bellowed, "Why did you try to kill her?!"

Quan Chi thrust his hand out and a portal opened beneath Scorpion. He clung onto Ama as both of them fell through, Ama screaming during their descent.

"Ama!" Smoke cried out.

* * *

I landed beside Scorpion and rubbed my head gently. Where were we? What...what was going on?

"Ama." Scorpion said, trembling slightly.

I didn't think twice; I wrapped my arms around him tightly, knowing that it would bother him but caring little. "You scared me..." I whispered.

He stiffened before gently prying me off of him. He looked straight into my eyes and said, "Don't move. I need to take the poison out of your system."

"What poison, what are you talking about-"

Before I could finish, he lay me back and touched my chest. I pushed him away immediately, blushing like the schoolgirl I was. "What are you-"

"I am trying to help you!" He hollered.

"How are you helping me by touching my chest the way you are?!" I hollered right back.

"Ugh. Insufferable girl." He groaned.

"Insufferable? Me?! Would you allow for me to go over what you put me through?!"

"I know what I put you through-"

"Oh, do you?! Stupid man, you have no idea!"

"Look, you're away from them now-"

"Them? Whoa, wait. Them? I'm talking about you. It doesn't matter what Kahn or his little lackeys put me through. You betrayed me...you broke my trust, and...and you...you have no idea how much...how much it still hurts..."

I hugged my arms while pushing myself away from him.

"Stop moving. The more you move, the more the poison has a chance to settle." He grumbled.

"Oh, and let me guess, you...you poisoned me as well?"

He looked down. That answered my question.

"Ama-"

"I can't _believe_ you. What, did I get in the way that much?!"

"No!"

"Then what the hell caused you to poison me?! What did I ever do to you?!"

Scorpion stepped towards me. "Ama, let me speak-"

"I think you've said enough."

"At least let me help you!"

I paused, then turned. He looked almost...desperate to help me. I shook my head and disregarded it...he actions disgusted me, but I had too much to live for. I couldn't be stubborn now. I still had to help the other kontestants.

"...Fine. Do what you have to do."

I lay back and crossed my arms over my chest. He kneeled beside me and moved my arms roughly; I reacted by smacking him across the face. His eyes widened, wild with anger. I rolled my eyes and looked away from him. "Would you hurry up."

"What was that for?!" He demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?! You deserve that and so much more. If I survive this tournament, you are going down, and if I die, I will haunt you forever."

He huffed and placed his hands on my chest. "I'm already haunted. You'd be wasting your time."

"Yeah, yeah. Your family and clan already haunt you, same sob story."

"What?" He hissed.

"You heard me. And I don't even feel bad. I would still haunt you because your sorry ass deserves it. You have no idea how badly you've hurt me."

"Ama, would you just-"

"Just what, hmm? Just, let it go?! I've let too many things go, you screwing me over is the last blow I will ever take!"

"Just stop and let me do what I need to do." He grumbled impatiently.

"Whatever." I snapped at him.

The idiot made me so angry. First he betrays me, then he poisons me. Obviously, it was for malicious intent...wait, why was he healing me? I looked at him and watched as his golden skin turned...pale.

"Scorpion?" I asked, panicked.

He glared at he with tired eyes. "Stop...moving..."

"Whoa, stop what you're doing! This isn't good!"

"Non...nonsense. Stop...st...stay still..." He stammered.

I stood up and stared at him. "You're not okay...what is going on?"

He coughed gently and tried standing, but somehow couldn't. This really wasn't good. He was usually strong, and now he was...weak. I backed away from him as he coughed again, louder this time.

"Damn Cyromancer..." He cussed under his breath.

"Wait, what?" I asked, now very curious.

"He...he revi...revived me...after I...I.."

"After you what?!"

His undead eyes stared at me. "After I revived...revived you."

I gasped and backed away from him. "You revived me? Why did you have to revive me, what happened?!"

"You w...were possessed by Shao Kahn...Sh...Shang Tsung...and Q...Quan Chi...you were brainwashed into doing whatever they wanted you to do...we were fighting...I...I threw my Kunai at you and once it landed...you...you were dying..."

He coughed again, this time louder than before and he was struggling to breathe. I rushed to his side and kneeled beside him. "And you...you revived me?"

He didn't respond. His body began shaking violently, so I clung onto him. He was cold...very cold...the little body heat I had surpassed his own. I frantically hugged his arm to my chest tightly, determined not to let go. His breathing was uneven and his body continued trembling...and I was the only one with him. If only there were a doctor who worked with the undead.

"Scorpion? Okay, just...uh...just! Just calm down!" I screamed.

He huffed gently, probably wondering why I wasn't being calm...dang it...okay, I needed to calm down. I looked around frantically for something, anything that could help him.

"Just...just stop..." He whispered.

"No! I'm not going to stop! You're in trouble and I am going to help you, got it?!"

He tried to shake me away from him, but he was too weak. Okay, apparently, I was...er...am...the daughter of an Elder God. Elder Gods have immense power, right? I could heal Scorpion, right?! I tightened my grip on his arm and looked up. "Please, please, please!"

Scorpion groaned softly and his body grew limp. I gasped and held him up with all my might. "Dang, you're heavy..." I grunted, clutching onto him. I looked up and shouted, "Help me! You're my father, aren't you?! Fathers help their children, and I am your daughter! So help me already!"

I was being brash to an Elder God...well, he deserved it. Abandoning my home like that, leaving my brother and I to grow around an insane woman. I felt a twinge of guilt...I had already forgiven her and now, I was insulting her.

"Damn it." I cursed, aware of my mistake.

The more I beat myself up over it however, I could sense Scorpion getting weaker and weaker. I immediately focused my attention on him, no longer caring about the past.

"Stay with me, Scorpion. You can't die...twice." I mumbled under my breath.

I saw a mist of purple surrounding the place. Then, I heard a rather loud yet serene voice.

"Send your energy to him."

I paused, dumbfounded. What? How the hell do I do that? I've never transferred energy before, I didn't know how to do it!

"I don't know how to!" I shouted.

"You do." The voice responded. "Forgive him of his transgressions against you."

I froze. Forgiveness...that term seemed to follow me a lot lately. I placed my hands over where his heart would have been and closed my eyes. All of his transgressions rose up immediately and I felt angry all over again.

"Forgive him." The voice boomed regally.

I felt my anger fade away as I thought of how this undead man had been with me my entire life. He was there when I was angry, sad, even lukewarm. I recalled my crush on him and how it developed over the years. I remembered how, although he lived a crappy undead life, he managed to, unknowingly to him, make my life better. He trained me with a firm hand, but I learned so much from him. Even while he obviously didn't enjoy my company, he stayed by my side and helped me train. He rescued me twice...once from an unbearably mentionable time and the other not too long ago...by giving his own energy to me so that I may live, completely disregarding himself. Perhaps there were other times where he saved me, times I am unaware of...but he looked out for me. My heart burst with love and admiration for him. I clutched his attire and whispered, "Thank you..."

He grunted softly. It was working! I smiled as I felt his warmth slowly begin to return to his body...it really was working...tears ran down my eyes as I hugged him tighter. "Thank you for being there...for supporting me..."

He was getting warmer and warmer by the second. I smiled and said, "Thank you for everything..."

I dug my face in his back and began to sob uncontrollably. The moment he touched my hands, I flinched and tried to back away, startled by his sudden movement. But he kept me there by pulling me towards him. I collided against his back and heard him say very gently, "Stay here with me."

I blushed and sat beside him. The purple mist was gone and I felt abandoned yet reassured, especially with Scorpion by my side.

"Why did you do that." He demanded softly.

I wasn't used to this soft-spoken Scorpion. I stared at the ground and answered, "Because I wanted to...I needed to, for me."

"You were angry with me. I could hear the disgust in your voice when you spoke to me. And I understand why you were angry, but you aren't now. Why."

"Do you really want to know?" I asked while hugging my knees to my chest.

He stayed silent. I gently squeezed his hand and said, "I chose to see the light instead of the darkness."

"Fool. There is no light in me." He barked.

"There is enough." I replied, my face straight.

He roughly pulled his hand way from mine. "You are so naive. You should have let me fade into ash."

"And what would that have accomplished?"

"Your retribution."

"My retribution? Scorpion, I hold nothing against you. Letting you die would have harmed me more than helped me!"

"How would it have harmed you?!"

"I care about you too much to watch you fall!"

He continued to stare at me as I looked away. "I've watched you fall in the franchise too many times. I will not be one of the reasons why you should ever fall because I only want goodness for you. Why should I wish you ill will when you have helped me over and over again?"

"Because I betrayed you." He said roughly.

"And you want that to bother me? Stop pushing me away from you already. Whether you like it or not, I'm here to stay. And you can't do anything about it. So hah."

He didn't say anything. I huffed out a smile, feeling accomplished for my victory.

"Then...allow for me to fight further for your retribution." He grunted.

I looked at him. "What?"

"Quan Chi poisoned my Kunai. Obviously, he doesn't want you alive...perhaps Kahn doesn't need you anymore."

"Whoa. Wait. Quan Chi...poisoned your Kunai? How did he manage to do that, you keep that thing under lock and key! Well, metaphorically."

"I don't know. But I will make him pay for it."

I had a fading feeling...as if I should forgive Quan Chi as well. But let's face it, that guy was a douchebag. A major one at that. And even if I did forgive him, Scorpion sure as hell wouldn't.

"Ah...Scorpion? Perhaps, to give you more ammo..."

He stared at me.

"Quan Chi killed your family and clan."

He tensed up immediately. I expected him to fly into a rage and was mildly surprised that he didn't.

"Hold on to me." He demanded, his voice strong and shaky.

I did as he said and flames engulfed him. I flinched from its power and said, "Scorpion, ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

"The only way to get us out of here is by teleporting. You are the daughter of an Elder God, protect yourself."

"But I don't know how to do that!"

"Figure it out."

I groaned and tried to figure it out...oh hell, whatever I did wouldn't work! "Scorpion-"

"Hurry up!" He shouted.

"I don't know what to do!"

I suddenly remembered Raiden's words. I could travel the realms just by a simple thought.

"I have an idea." I said as I hopped off of him.

"Ama, stop wasting time-"

"I'm not wasting time, would you just work with me?!"

I sat down and thought of the courtyard. Unfortunately, I was too brainwashed to recall it on my own, so I thought of the courtyard from the game.

"Ama..." Scorpion said carefully.

I ignored him and continued focusing on the courtyard. The monks sat facing the wooden and paved surface, the honored ones were on a platform behind the monks. The kontestants stood on the paved surface, watching the fights that took place in front of them. Right. There were two gates, but many of the kontestants entered the courtyard gates on the left of where the kontestants stood.

"Ama." Scorpion repeated, louder this time.

"A moment." I snapped.

"Open your eyes and look." He growled.

I opened my eyes and saw a brilliant green portal before my eyes. I yelped and hid behind Scorpion. "Who is there? I someone coming to get us?"

"No, fool. You opened the portal. Now lets go."

"I...I opened it? Boo yah! Give me a high five!" I screamed excitedly, raising my hand into the air.

Scorpion stared at me and I slowly put my hand down.

"Don't do that." He grumbled.

"Yeah, I...I'm sorry." I blushed.

* * *

"She isn't dead?!"

"She was almost dead, emperor. But of course, Quan Chi failed. Again." Shang Tsung said innocently.

Quan Chi rolled his eyes at Shang Tsung. "At least I almost succeeded. You have not even come in as close as I have."

"Enough childish banter! The problem here is how she is not dead!" Kahn bellowed.

Kitana and Jade glanced at one another as Shao Kahn continued to rage over the fact that Ama still lived. Kahn lowered his head in frustration. "Kitana."

Kitana lowered her shoulders and took a step toward him. He still remembered how she assisted Ama and his blood really began to boil. "You have betrayed me."

Kitana clenched her fists. "Father-"

A sadistic laugh rose from all around the throne room. Kitana raised her fans while Jade touched the tip of her boomerang. A slender figure appeared from the darkness, her appearance similar to the princess's. Kitana gasped while Jade stared intently at the young woman.

"Hello, sister!"

Kitana stood her ground and clutched her fans. "Who are you."

"Why, don't you see our similarities? I am your beloved sister!" The young woman giggled.

Kitana watched closely as she approached her. Jade stood in front of Kitana and extended her pole. "Take another step and you die."

"You can't kill me! I am the princess of Outworld!"

Kahn shoved Kitana and Jade from the steps of the throne and opened his arms to the sadistic young woman. He then glanced at Kitana and shouted, "You would rather pay your allegiance to that weak little shrew?!"

Kitana glanced at Jade as she stood proudly and announced powerfully, "We no longer serve you. We only serve the demi-goddess Ama."

Kitana proudly stood beside Jade, still baffled by the woman who shared her looks. Kahn chuckled. "Is that so? Hah. Very well. Mileena."

The young woman focused her attention on Shao Kahn.

"Kill them."

"Yes, father!" She snarled as she took off her mask, revealing her razor sharp teeth.

Kitana's eyes widened while Jade thrust her pole out in front of her. "Kitana, stay behind me."

"No...no, I can fight." Kitana shakily replied.

"HOLD IT!"

All of them looked to the back of the throne room. Ama and Scorpion emerged from the portal, her measly appearance making Kahn bellow with laughter.

"Ahh, the infamous Ama. Mileena! Focus your attention on the girl instead."

Mileena turned towards Ama and snarled excitedly. Scorpion stood in front of her as Mileena scanned her victim, determining where to attack first.

* * *

I was terrified. Three of the game's biggest antagonists were here, plus Mileena. There were only three good guys here; Jade, Kitana, and myself. Scorpion didn't take sides unless persuaded to. Ugh perhaps I persuaded him enough?! Mileena's approaching growls snapped me out of my thinking process...Scorpion would leave me soon, considering Quan Chi was on the other side of the room. I glanced over at where Kitana and Jade were...ouu, why where they so far away?!

"Back up." Scorpion hissed.

"Stand aside!" She sadistically replied.

Her voice gave me goosebumps. She was going to kill me.

"Hey!"

Mileena turned and was welcomed by Jade's boomerang. She yelped and fell to the ground.

"Ama, go." Scorpion growled.

I ran over to where Jade and Kitana were and Jade pushed me behind her. "Stay there. Don't move."

"But...but, Scorpion-"

"Scorpion can take care of himself." Kitana reassured.

I watched as Mileena jumped back up and hissed at our direction. The moment I saw her teeth, I said loudly, "Ew! That's disgusting! I saw your teeth from the games and yeah, that was nasty, but wow!"

Kitana snickered while Jade turned to look at me, baffled. "Ama!"

"What? She's disgusting!"

Mileena pounced on me and tried to bite my neck.

"Ama!" Kitana cried out.

I gasped by how quickly she had moved. I blocked my neck with my arms but the moment she bit one of my arms,wa I screamed and punched her. She flew back and Kitana rushed to my side.

"Let me see your arm." She said calmly.

I was trembling. Her teeth were sharper than I had anticipated...blood gushed from my arm and tears ran down my eyes. Kitana carefully grabbed my arm and I heard ripping sounds. I closed my eyes and felt a wave of relief run though me.

"Look! She is hurt already!" Shang Tsung laughed.

I growled and shakily got to my feet. She put her hand on my shoulder and as I looked at her, I noticed that her attire had been ripped.

"Kitana..."

"I've wrapped it enough to stop the blood." She said.

I felt ashamed...a symbol of her royalty was on me...she seemed to have read my mind and smiled. "Don't worry. It's not like I am Kahn's daughter."

I felt a fan-girl wave crash on me. I hugged her tightly and giggled.

"Ah...Ama?" She said as she slowly pushed me off of her. "Some other time."

"Oh. Right...how quickly I forget..." I murmured.

As I looked off to the side, I noticed Jade distracting Mileena. Good...Jade was a good fighter, very good at that. And just as I had suspected, Scorpion was off fighting Quan Chi and Shang Tsung was no longer there for whatever reason. Kitana stared at Kahn, rebellion and displeasure ran across her eyes. Kahn stepped from his throne, completely amused.

"I knew that you were never my father. But creating...creating that?" She asked in disgust while pointing at Mileena.

"He knew that you would turn against him. That is why he commanded his lackey Shang Tsung to create a clone of you, one who would follow his orders the moment they were called out." I said.

"Ah. So you aren't stupid." Kahn chuckled.

I longed to punch the punk in the face. But the fact that he was so much bigger than me destroyed any of those thoughts.

"How could you do this to me. The centuries of pain and suffering you have caused me will not go unpunished!" Kitana shouted regally.

"What at you going to do? Throw your fans at me and expect for me to duck and cover? I wanted to kill you because you are nothing more than a useless Edenian, just as your father was."

I noticed as she cringed. She hadn't known her real father because Kahn had killed him. If it weren't for Sindel's influence, Kitana would have been dead alongside her father.

"I only had you stick around for Mileena's sake. She wouldn't be here if it weren't for you." Kahn smiled. "She is your official replacement. You have served me well, but she will serve me more."

"You're a dick." I said bluntly.

Shao Kahn looked at me enraged. "What?!"

"You heard me. You've been a dick from the moment you were created. Enough of your excessive nagging voice, I am going to take you down one way or another!"

He threw his head back and laughed. "You? Take me down? Hilarious! Your father's mere influence can do nothing for you because you are not a full goddess!"

"I don't have to be! Believe me, having half of his blood will do wonders for me!"

He cracked his neck and laughed again. I was annoyed with that laugh...I couldn't wait to stop his laughter permanently. Suddenly, a long green spear appeared in his right hand.

"Oh, poop." I mumbled.

"Ama, move!" Kitana shouted while pushing me out of the way.

Her shove woke me up. Dang it, why did I talk to him like that? Was I crazy or was I crazy?! I can't beat him! I hid behind Kitana, completely and utterly afraid.

"What are you doing, get out here and fight!" She hissed at me.

"I can't, he's too big!" I cried.

"You are more powerful than you know! Awaken your full potential and do it now!"

"But!"

"Do it now!" She screamed.

Dang. Pushy. I jumped out from behind her, looked around, and saw the purple mist that had visited Scorpion and I not too long ago.

"Father..." I whispered.

The mist was apparently unseen by the others as they went about their business. I saw it perfectly...it was a nice deep royal purple. The only problem was that it was floating around in front of Shao Kahn. Fear gripped my heart and I backed away.

"Come. Do not be afraid. I will give you the strength to defeat this beast."

I approached the purple light carefully. Kahn looked amused, but I tried my best to ignore him. Deep inside, my heart cried for help...for Smoke, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, anybody... to protect me. I was terrified as I walked closer and closer to Kahn, that purple light beginning to feel like a facade. I was walking to my death and it terrified me. The feeling disappeared however as the purple haze circled around me, giving me confidence and strength I never knew I had.

"My daughter. I will help you."

I nodded, took a deep breath, and stood in my fighting stance. The throne room was quiet...I scanned the atmosphere with my eyes and noticed that I was alone...with him.

'Father, why am I alone? Where are my friends? Where is Scorpion?' I thought.

Kahn extended his hand and a large warrior's hammer appeared. Oh hell...

"You aren't alone. I am right beside you." My father said calmly.

I needed help. I was going to die...I didn't have enough faith in my father to believe that I could somehow take this guy down. Video game experience was nothing compared to the real thing...and this was dreadfully real. I closed my eyes tightly.

"You can't defeat me, measly girl." Kahn bellowed.

I relaxed and slowly opened my eyes again. "Shut up and fight me."

He laughed again and gripped his hammer. "You have no allies. You are all alone!"

"I don't need them to kick your butt."

"Ah, yes. You are a demi-goddess! Hah!"

He threw his hammer at me and fear ran through my body. I yelped and fell face first onto the ground, dodging it but hurting my stomach in the process. He smirked. "Some demi-goddess."

I jumped to my feet and pushed my hair back. He was big, but I needed to know how heavy he was. Liu Kang had taught me that as well...find the easiest ways to take your opponent down. "You use your weapons all the time as you fight! Do you know what that means for players like me who happen to face you?"

He had already summoned another warrior's hammer. I ran as fast as I could toward him and just as he was about to throw it, I rammed my body against his. He had dropped his hammer, my force throwing him off slightly, but my force...obviously wasn't enough. I jumped back; he was as tough as a rock. Tougher than a rock, actually. I didn't want to show him how intimidated I was, but that was difficult. I was scared out of my mind.

"Insolent girl." He grumbled.

I looked around for something that would help...a weapon of some kind. I couldn't use Kahn's weapons because they were too big for me and they disappeared after he used them. I grew frustrated...my punches and kicks could only do so much.

"Use your wits, Ama. You are smarter than you give yourself credit for." My father said tenderly.

I nodded slowly. Surely, I couldn't take Kahn on physically...but mentally, I had a chance. The moron didn't know when to quit when it came to taking over Earthrealm...he should have quit after Liu Kang rammed that hole near his chest.

"At least I gave myself a small advantage." I said cockily.

I needed to show him that I wasn't afraid. I needed to be brave!

"Small? More like minuscule." He grunted.

"Same difference, you annoying little twat."

Kahn let out a warrior's cry and summoned another spear. I rolled my eyes and said, "See? What did I tell you? Stop spamming the usage of your weapons and fight me, you coward!"

He threw his spear with all of his might and I dodged it without falling to the ground. I felt proud of myself, but I couldn't allow that pride to overtake me. I continued to evade his attacks and I could tell that he was getting tired. I smiled and put my hands on my hips. "Aww, does the little baby need to take a nap?"

"Silence, girl!" He hollered.

"My name is Ama. It is three letters long and not very hard to pronounce."

"Ah." He groaned disgustedly. "Your name is Amaterasu. After the goddess of the sun in Japan. I suppose that makes you feel...special."

I held my breath. "I have always gone by Ama. Even if I am named after the honorable goddess, I won't boast about it. That would be annoying."

"But you share so many similarities with the goddess."

"Don't compare me to Lady Amaterasu!" I demanded.

"But you are so distant from her as well." He grinned.

"Enough!"

"Your father was wise to name you after her." He said while clenching his teeth. "Speaking of your father...where has he been all this time?"

He was trying to strike cords with me. "Don't mention my father either." I said, my tone low.

"Why not? Isn't the father the biggest part of a growing woman's life?"

"You're one to talk. You go and kill Kitana's father, now she'll never have that true connection with him. Then you go and create a disgusting clone of her." I sneered.

"You know a lot."

"Never underestimate me."

"Of course. But...don't you ever wonder why your own father left?" He pried.

"I know why he left. He had to help the realms against forces like you." I growled.

"And he left you and your beloved younger brother in the hands of an abusive mother. You grew up with low self esteem, always curious about your self worth, never knowing the truth of who you are."

I released my breath and bit my lower lip. How did he know...

"You idolized Kitana, Jade, and Sindel because you believed that they lived a better life, a life of privilege and esteem. You tried being like them by trying to look like them, acting like them, ultimately putting who you are aside for a chance to feel better about yourself. You yearned for the love of a man but couldn't find it because your father wasn't there. He wasn't there to ease your feelings of unworthiness, he wasn't there to teach you about boys, hence the reason you've never had a boyfriend. He wasn't there to protect you from the evils of the world, no. He left all of that in the hands of your abusive mother."

I bit my lip harder. I couldn't cry, not now. He was telling the truth and that made me want to rip his face off. The unbearable truth hurt me so badly that I had to react, but I couldn't cry.

"What's the matter, demi-goddess? The truth hurts?" He laughed.

How did he know any of that? Ugh, I couldn't dwell on that now. He was trying to distract me and although it was working, I had to focus.

"Don't hide your feelings anymore, Amaterasu." He said as he approached me. "You've been through a lot."

He reached out and brushed my hair. I smacked his hand away, disgusted. "Don't touch me."

"Oh, Ama..."

A sharp pain ran down my stomach. I screamed loudly and looked down with frantic eyes only to see that he had stabbed me with a broken tip of his spear. I gasped for air and tried to push him away from me, but he was too strong.

"You've been through so much." He said sadistically.

I was losing a lot of blood. I would die if I didn't act. I stared at his open toes and stomped on them with all of my might. He hollered and limped back while I staggered backwards, aware of the arrow's tip still in my body. I couldn't pull it out...I was losing too much blood already and I felt dizzy. Kitana's tourniquet would have to do for the moment. I unwrapped it from my arm and frantically wrapped it around my stomach. Kahn was already charging at me, his eyes showing clearly that he wanted to kill me. The moment I tied it off, I jumped up before he could crush me with his hammer.

"Ama!" He boomed.

I was terrified. "Help, help..." I begged. I needed somebody to help me. Kahn had made me doubt my father's loving presence...why did he even bring me to fight with Kahn alone?! Kahn grunted loudly from the other side of the room and as I looked at his direction, a hammer came straight for me. I fell face first onto the ground again and felt the arrow go deeper into my body. I cursed softly and struggled to my feet.

"What's wrong, demi-goddess?! You wanted a fight, did you not?!"

I huffed and puffed as I ran through the room, careful to evade all of his attacks. I had to be smart now...I had to think. I looked around the room and noticed how the spears tended to bounce off of the pillars. Bingo. I hid behind a pillar and listened for his pounding footsteps. As expected, they approached me, and with a cry, he shouted and threw his spear. It bounced off of the pillar I was hiding behind and I peeked and smiled as it had narrowly missed him.

"Yes!" I giggled as I moved around strategically. I didn't want for him to catch on to what I was trying to do. He was an idiot after all, surely it would take some time for him to figure it out.

He scrambled to his feet and threw a hammer towards me. I dodged it and saw that it had hit my previous hiding spot. The rubble...yes, I could use that as a weapon against him! I flinched as pieces of the pillar landed on my arm, still tender from when Mileena unmercifully bit me. I ripped a sleeve off of my shirt and bandaged my arm quickly. Kahn was frustrated. His groans echoing throughout the place...I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I rushed to the broken pillar, grabbed a heavy piece of what was left of it, and the moment he came close to me, I threw it on his open toes. He hollered and tried to reach for me. Thankfully, I had moved out of the way fast enough, but not as quickly as I had hoped. He had scratched my shoulder pretty badly.

"Fool!" He screamed as he picked the pillar piece up and hauled it at me. I moved out of the way and threw smaller pieces at him, careful to aim at his head. Maybe if I moved that cow skull from his head, I could successfully hit him on the main pressure point and kill him instantly. No, that would take too much work. I had to think smart!

"Hah! You throw pebbles at me?! Show me your powers, demi-goddess!"

I continued to throw the pieces with all of my might, but his skin was too tough for him to be affected. I dropped the smaller pebbles and picked up the heavier ones. He had summoned another spear and I quickly retreated behind another pillar. It bounced off again and this time, hit his arm. I smiled triumphantly and gave myself a small high five...yeah, I'm pathetic.

Blood oozed from his arm and I saw the perfect opportunity to haul the larger pieces of the pillar at him. I did so and successfully hit him on the head.

"Yes!" I grinned.

He stood up, clutching his bleeding arm. "I am going to KILL YOU!"

"Then come and get me!" I taunted while standing in front of the pillar.

He roared and charged toward me.

"Wait for it..." I told myself.

He was a raging bull. He flung himself at me faster than I could have imagined. But I still had to wait. I clutched my fists and gritted my teeth. "Wait for it..."

He was an inch away from me and I moved out of the way. I grinned the moment I heard his head collide with the pillar and turned to watch as it fell on top of him. I gently touched my stomach and flinched from the pain. I had to get this arrow out somehow. Now that I was thinking about it, I had to treat all of my injuries...I was losing so much blood and I was so engaged in the battle that I didn't realize it. I looked around and noticed how my blood was all over the place.

"Crap..." I whispered.

I heard pieces of the newly broken pillar being pushed aside. I knew he wouldn't die by that...ugh. One last haul. I was exhausted and turned toward him in that manner. I could very well sense that he felt the same way. He was beaten down, blood all over his arm and face. In his hand was another spear, this one glowing a magnificent emerald.

"I...I will...I will kill you!" He hollered.

I trembled as more blood left my body. With my hair all up in my face, I looked up at him, grinned, and said slowly, "Bring...it...on."

He threw his spear with all of his might. I closed my eyes, fell back, and heard it bounce off of the pillar behind me. I felt it whoosh right past me. I knew where it was going. And as it landed in his chest, I heard his agonizing screams echo throughout the room. I wasn't concerned that he would somehow get up and get me because his lower body was lodged in the rubble of the pillar. His cries began to die down slowly. I stared at the ceiling and waited for him to succumb to death's cold embrace. And eventually...it did. He was silent. I sat up and stared at his limp form...then I lay back down and allowed for my tears to surface. I was exhausted...I needed rest...I needed...I...

My eyes were closing slowly. This was it I suppose...but the last thing I saw before I shut my eyes was a purple mist and a figure...watching me.

* * *

_I have returned! _

I am so sorry you guys. Believe me, this moving shindig isn't all that great. Yeah, I'm still in the process. It takes a while, you know?


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